The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, has said he intends to honour his commitment to reorganising the Naval Service and Air Corps by chairing the group he is setting up to implement the Price Waterhouse report.
Mr Smith also intends to announce a new recruitment drive for the Naval Service next week, he told The Irish Times.
He has rejected claims by Defence Forces' representative organisations that the review has been deferred until publication of a White Paper on Defence.
Implementation of the Price Waterhouse review, accepted in principle by the Government last month, had looked in doubt following the decision to drop the appointment of an independent chairperson to act on it.
Such was the anger within the two Defence Forces wings that a delegation comprising the outgoing Chief-of-Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Gerry McMahon, the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Services, Commodore John Kavanagh, and the General Officer Commanding the Air Corps, Brig Gen Patrick Cranfield, met the Minister to convince him to reverse his decision.
"I'm a hands-on Minister," Mr Smith told The Irish Times this week. "I've had to take some hard decisions in this job but I also like to work on a consensus basis. I look forward to leading the drive into the future for both the Naval Service and Air Corps, and to do that myself. What really counts is action on recruitment, efficiencies, new equipment and resources and, ultimately, this is a ministerial decision."
Mr Smith denied that the lack of an independent chair would jeopardise the review. It recommends a £235 million re-equipment plan for the Naval Service and Air Corps, more personnel for the Naval Service, a cut in personnel in the Air Corps and greater cost-efficiency initiatives, among other measures.
"Yes, an independent chair was a recommendation by the consultants and this has been rejected by Government. But I will chair this committee for all the major decisions, while routine meetings will be steered by officials from my Department. There will be complete transparency."
He said the Naval Service and Air Corps were "two essential elements" in the Defence Forces for drug interdiction, air-sea rescue, fisheries protection, maritime security and pollution control. Proper training, adequate personnel and resources were vital for morale. He had already ordered a new ship, which was due for delivery in a year's time.
The implementation group is also expected to comprise the secretary-general at the Department of the Defence, the Chief-of-Staff of the Defence Forces, the GOC Air Corps, Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service, and representatives of the Departments of the Taoiseach, Marine and Finance.
In his statement issued on the publication of the Price Waterhouse review last month, Mr Smith said the plan would reflect the importance of the sea and air requirements of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, as client of the Naval Service and Air Corps. A fully costed plan would also be "consistent with" the White Paper on Defence.
Mr Smith stressed this week that there was a need to "recognise realities" within the Defence Forces and to adopt a customer-orientated approach, given the loss of some services to the private sector.
Referring to air-sea rescue, which has already been put out to contract in Shannon and on the east coast, he said he would prefer to see the Air Corps having a greater involvement. However, there was a problem of resources and efficiency.
