Our Defence Forces are facing a crisis and personnel numbers are critically low. Under the Tánaiste's watch, more people are leaving the Defence Forces every year than are being recruited. The Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces set out a very clear roadmap to address this crisis. It capital terms it set out the need for a €250 million investment each year for the next ten years. Last year, the Government missed that target by €70 million. The Tánaiste is now Minister for Defence and he missed the target this year by another €70 million. The capital budget for the Defence Forces is exactly the same as it was last year and the Tánaiste has ignored the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces two years in a row. The budget includes no new measures to address the retention and recruitment crisis in the Defence Forces. It is clear the Tánaiste is neglecting our Defence Forces. That will continue as long as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are in government. Will the Tánaiste be upfront and acknowledge that the budget failed to deliver the investment our Army, Air Corps and Naval Service so desperately need? Did the Tánaiste even seek the money in the first place or did he decide not to ask what the commission required?

The time is up, Deputy.

The Deputy is wrong. All he is attempting to do is exploit our Defence Forces for his own electoral and political benefit. The fact of the matter is that not one project is being held back, capital-wise.

In what way am I wrong?

Some €120 million worth of projects are under way and being developed. The capital programme is not finished, actually, because there are further national development plan allocations to take place. Your €250 million, of course-----

It is the commission's €250 million.

Yes. You have to build it up.

Yes, the €70 million-----

You are a bit more intelligent than you are letting on.

It is €250 million every year.

You know we cannot get to €250 million from day one when you have to build up the capital programme-----

You gave them no extra money this year than you did last year.

-----and you have to do the procurement.

You built it up by zero this year.

Please.

You built it up by zero this year.

There you are again. You are shouting again.

You built it up by a total of zero.

You are roaring again because it is all about the soundbite.

I thank the Tánaiste.

Your politics are the politics of the soundbite. I am more about substance.

How much did you build it up this year? Zero. You are the Minister for Defence. At least Donnelly went looking for the money.

Deputy, you are out of order.

At least Donnelly went looking for the money.

You are out of order, sir. Will you have some respect for the Chamber and your colleagues, please?