18 Dr. Lee asked the Minister for Defence if any plans exist to purchase military equipment from Israel; and if he will outline his views in relation to the significant orders placed with Israel for the purchase of military equipment over recent years.

20 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Defence if any plans exist to purchase military equipment from Israel; and if he will outline his views in relation to the significant orders placed with Israel for the purchase of military equipment over recent years.

47 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Defence if any plans exist to purchase military equipment from Israel; and if he will outline his views in relation to the significant orders placed with Israel for the purchase of military equipment over recent years.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 20 and 47 together.

In accordance with established practice military equipment is purchased by my Department from a number of countries on the basis of competitive tendering. In the interest of security it is not the practice to furnish details regarding the purchase of such equipment.

Is it not common knowledge that military equipment has been purchased by the Defence Forces from Israel? How much money has been paid to Israel for military equipment in recent years? Is it planned to make further purchases from Israel? Does the Minister believe that the Department are acting correctly, given the treatment our troops have been receiving in south Lebanon from the de facto forces and the appalling response we have had from the Israeli Government in relation to the scores of savage attacks that have occurred this year alone?

The Deputy has injected quite a substantial amount of new matter.

It is relevant.

The Deputy says that it is common knowledge. However, it is knowledge that I have not got. My predecessors all took the line I am taking now with regard to these matters, that they are matters of security.

If the Minister is not prepared to admit to the House that military equipment is purchased from Israel——

I know the Deputy was in Castleblayney. I do not know what they told her up there, but I hope she enjoyed her day.

If the Minister is not prepared to admit that military equipment is being purchased from Israel, will he in his discussions with his Israeli counterpart say that no purchases of Israeli equipment will take place while the situation that exists in south Lebanon continues and while this Government continue to receive such poor response from the Israeli Government about attacks on our troops in south Lebanon? I would ask the Minister to impress that view on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and on the Government in general.

That is a separate and distinct matter.

I am asking the Minister to do something.

I have noted the Deputy's remarks.

The Minister will act on them?

Deputy Gerry O'Sullivan, please.

By what criteria do the Defence Forces purchase military equipment? Is it a matter of value for money, or is there a diplomatic connection?

I can answer that succinctly. The criteria used is competitive tendering, but before the Army decide to purchase weapons the weapons are tested punctiliously.

We do not have any deliberate policy as to from whom we will purchase weaponry?

No.

I invite the Minister to be a bit less coy about the information. I would remind the Minister that, for example, it was well known for a long time in advance that our Defence Forces were going to purchase an Austrian rifle. Will the Minister consider that we all know that our Defence Forces and, indeed, our Garda have bought military equipment from Israel? Is the Minister not aware, if he has any acquaintance at all with any of the trade papers in relation to defence equipment, aviation or any of the other areas where the Defence Forces buy equipment, that one can get all that information in the columns of those papers? Would the Minister not cop himself on and yet not be excessively secretive?

The Deputy seems to be imparting a lot of information rather than seeking it.

I am simply trying to point out to the Minister that there is no need for him to be so coy because the information can be assembled. I am sure he has officials in his Department who could do it for him, if the Army do not want to do it.

My coyness is my own and I intend to nurture it.