Defence spending and helicopters
Senator Craughwell criticised the Government’s defence announcement, arguing spending plans were being presented as new despite already contracted helicopters.
I sound like a broken record when I come into the House these days. Yesterday, the Governor of the Central Bank added his voice to that of Danny McCoy from IBEC on the need for spending in defence. Immediately after that, we find that the Government released a press statement to The Irish Times and RTÉ in which it outlines that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is about to announce €1.7 billion in spending for defence. You would welcome that until you read through the article and find that they mention four helicopters. The four helicopters were contracted in January of last year. It mentioned sonar. Sonar is already contracted. It mentioned the primary radar. We were promised primary radar three years ago. I understand that it is also advanced. Why is the Government advancing as new news something it has reported already? These initiatives were announced in January 2025, in June 2025 and two years ago in the case of the primary radar. A total of €19 million will be spent on anti-drone technology, which will be delivered in the middle of next year. Has anybody realised that we take over the Presidency of the EU in the middle of next year? How long does it take to train people to use this equipment? Where will they train? Who will train them? We disbanded the ground-to-air battery in 2012, so we do not have the expertise there as far as I know. We have to start being honest with the people. Was this press release issued now to mask the fact that a €100 million Government jet will be delivered before Christmas? I understand it is being test flown in the United States at the moment and has been painted in the colours of the Air Corps. Do not get me wrong; we need a Government jet and a way to extract citizens from dangerous parts of the world. We need senior Ministers to be able to travel on Government jets. I have no difficulty with that whatsoever. Once again, why can we not be honest? Why can we not come straight out and tell people the truth and stop the goddamn messing? It is becoming annoying. Apart from that, our business communities now are becoming extremely concerned at the way in which defence and security is being managed.