Madam, - I wish to reply to Christopher Dorman-O'Gowan's letter of October 25th regarding Mr Simon Devereux's comments, at the recent Pdforra annual conference, on defence expenditure.
Very simply, the position is that there has been an unprecedented level of expenditure on infrastructure and equipment for the Defence Forces in recent years. Indeed, in the past decade, the gross defence budget has increased from €552 million to €934 million.
This increase was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings arising from the reorganisation of the Defence Forces set out in the White Paper of 2000, along with proceeds from the sale of surplus properties, would be reallocated for investment in modern facilities and equipment. Since 1997, over €260 million has been spent on new buildings and facilities and on the upgrading and refurbishment of barracks accommodation.
Mr Dorman-O'Gowan is correct in saying that Defence spending has not kept pace with the enormous growth in GDP over the past eight years. However, this is not due to any reduction in the level of defence expenditure, but rather because of the massive increase in GDP.
To assert that the defence budget should blindly follow GDP is simplistic. Our approach has been more strategic and coherent. The White Paper on Defence set out the equipment and infrastructural requirements for the Defence Forces for the decade ending in 2010. Over the past six years we have spent just over €200 million on the purchase of new armoured personnel carriers for the Army, new patrol vessels for the Naval Service, and new trainer aircraft for the Air Corps.
This programme of investment is continuing apace. Last January, I signed contracts for six new helicopters for the Air Corps costing just over €60 million. Planning is well under way on the replacement programme for the next Naval Service vessels to reach the end of their economic life, while further armoured personnel carriers will be added to our current fleet. I would also point out that all these contracts have come in both within time and within budget.
As for air intercept capability, I would direct Mr Dorman-O'Gowan to the remarks of the Defence Forces Chief of Staff at the launch of the Defence Forces Annual Report for 2004 last June, when he stated that armed jets were nowhere near his top priority.
Mr Dorman-O'Gowan's interest in the Irish Defence Forces is welcome, but his reluctance to acknowledge the massive steps taken in recent years to modernise Defence Forces equipment and infrastructure is regrettable. - Yours, etc,
WILLIE O'DEA TD, Minister for Defence, Department of Defence, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7.