Committee Reports::Report - Appropriation Accounts 1978::03 December, 1980::Appendix


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APPENDIX 13.

SAIL TRAINING CRUISES AND PURCHASE OF CERTAIN MILITARY EQUIPMENT.

27 Meitheamh, 1980

An Cléireach

An Coiste Um Chuntais Phoiblí.

A Chara,

I undertook, on the occasion of my appearance before the Committee on 15 May 1980, to furnish information on

(a) the selection of persons to participate in sail training cruises, and

(b) the purchase of certain equipment for the Irish contingent with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

A note on each of these matters is now attached.

Mise, le meas

M. P. HEALY

Oifigeach Cuntasaíochta

An Roinn Cosanta

(a) Selection of persons to participate in Sail Training Cruises

Berths for cruises on the sail training vessel “Creidne” are allocated by the skipper of the vessel in accordance with guidelines approved by Coiste An Asgard. Of the twelve berths available on each cruise——

(1) two are normally filled by adults with off-shore sailing experience;

(2) two are normally filled by young persons (20 to 25 years of age) with previous sailing experience; and

(3) the remainder by young people under 20 years of age with little or no previous experience.

In the case of (1) and (2), where there is an excess number of applicants the skipper of Creidne allocates berths to the applicants considered by him to be the most suitable. In the case of (3), priority is given to young people (e.g. apprentices) whose participation is sponsored by their employers and to applicants who are not members of yacht or sailing clubs.

(b) Purchase of certain Equipment for the Irish Contingent with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

The equipping of the first Irish contingent with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in May/June, 1978 necessitated the purchase by the Department of Defence of, inter alia, one tractor unit and two freight refrigerated vans. On account of the urgency of the requirement, quotations for the items were sought by telephone and written quotations were received from eight firms for the tractor unit and from four firms for the refrigerated vans. All the quotations received, including those from the firm referred to by Deputy Leyden, were fully considered before a contract was placed — with a firm in Ireland. The covering approval of the Government Contracts Committee was accorded for the placing of the contract.