asked the Minister for Defence whether the purchase price of Steyr AUG 5.56mm rifles for the Defence Forces includes ammunition for these weapons.

The contract placed recently by the Department in relation to the purchase of new rifles for the Defence Forces did not provide for the supply of ammunition for the weapons.

Is the ammunition being purchased from the same source as the rifles?

The company who supply the rifles do not manufacture ammunition. Supplies of ammunition for weapons will be purchased by competitive tendering as the need arises.

Is it not true that several corporations or firms from various countries who tendered originally for the supply of the rifles were also in a position to supply ammunition? Is it not remarkable that we buy rifles from one place and ammunition from another? Did the Department not make a somewhat botched job of the initial contract for the new rifles the Minister speaks of?

The Minister will reject totally any question of a botched job being made of this issue. The company referred to do not manufacture ammunition. Any ammunition required will be dealt with by the standard procedure of competitive tendering.