Fine Gael has expressed "surprise" at the decision by the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, to chair the implementation group charged with the Price Water house review of the Naval Service and Air Corps, rather than appoint an independent person. Navy and Air Corps representatives have also given a mixed reaction to the move, reported in yesterday's Irish Times.
The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) welcomed the Minister's response, while the non-commissioned officers group, PDFORRA, said it was "mystified".
The Fine Gael defence spokeswoman, Ms Frances Fitzgerald, said she still believed that the Minister was presiding over the demise of both defence wings.
"I am also very surprised at his failure to publish a full implementation plan simultaneously with his release of the Price Waterhouse review last month," she said yesterday.
The Government's commitment to the review, which recommended a £235 million reequipment plan, an increase in Naval Service staff and greater cost-efficiency measures among other proposals, has been in doubt since the Minister confirmed he had decided to drop the appointment of an independent chair to act on it.
Such was the anger within the two defence wings that the outgoing Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lt Gen Gerry McMahon; the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Services, Commodore John Kavanagh; and the General Officer Commanding Air Corps, Brig Gen Patrick Cranfield; met Mr Smith a fortnight ago to convince him to reverse his decision.
In an interview on the LE Aisling this week, the Minister told The Irish Times he intended to honour his commitment to reorganising the Naval Service and Air Corps by chairing the implementation group himself. He also intended to announce a new recruitment drive for the Naval Service next week.
The Minister rejected claims that major decisions associated with the review had been deferred until publication of the White Paper on Defence. Commdt Adrian Ryan, deputy general secretary of RACO, said yesterday he hoped the Minister's intervention would ensure implementation of as much of the review as possible before the White Paper. Mr Gerry Rooney, deputy general secretary of PDFORRA, was "mystified and surprised" at the Minister's move.
"We note that he said that he was a `hands on' Minister, but we didn't think much of his hands on approach in relation to Army barrack closures." In another controversial move, the Minister yesterday advertised the sale of five Naval Service vessels, including the 64-foot ketch Brime seized by the LE Orla with £20 million worth of cannabis on board in 1993. RACO has argued that the ketch should be refurbished as a sail training vessel. The Naval Service has just one sail trainer, the Tailte, and the condition of the Brime has deteriorated. Earlier this week, the Minister announced that he intended to fund up to half the estimated £500,000 required to restore As- gard, the former sail-training and gun-running yacht owned by the late Erskine Childers. Tenders are also being sought for four other vessels at Haulbowline - the 48-ft Nancy Bet owned by the naval reserve, and three 24-ft Cheverton ferry boats. Closing date for receipt of tenders is September 30th.
