Shay Brennan Questions Minister on Ukraine Aid and UN Costs

Gourmet Kihirlik. Minister, you're very welcome. Thanks for joining us again. It's a substantial increase. The revision is upward of 33% from what I can see here, but it's quite understandable given your opening statement and the briefing that you provided. Nonetheless, I would have a few questions around some elements of it. Firstly, if we can go to Ukraine, can you advise what the lead time is between – as I understand it from what you've said, we make a contribution, particularly the $80 million, we'll make a contribution to one of our EU partners who in turn then procures non-lethal, I think you said air defense equipment from the Ukraine defense industry. So, two questions on that. Between us making our contribution, what is the lead time between then and machinery effectively being in use to assist in their effort, if you're aware of that? And secondly then, maybe you could describe what the Ukraine defense industry actually is. Who is that money ultimately going to? Yeah, there's twofold. In terms of the money that has already been allocated, the vast majority of it has been drawn down already by our Ukrainian partners. In relation to the lead time, it really depends if we're talking about components of an air defense system or demining. So, each has a different lead time, to be quite frank. Obviously, different requirements. But all in, we're talking about six to eight months at the max, at the upper end. In terms of the Ukrainian defense industry, Ukraine has an active defense industry that is cutting edge in terms of what the equipment they are producing. It's recognized as such, and Ukraine has regularly requested that when the EU partners are providing equipment or supplies, that they do it through the Ukrainian defense industry. It's private entities, it's semi-state entities. It, again, comes down to what are we ordering? Are we ordering? You know, and I can't go into the specifics of it for security reasons, as you can understand. But exactly what is being ordered, that will then decide exactly what aspect. There isn't one homogenous group, to be quite frank. Yeah. Okay. Okay. That's understandable. Thank you. Secondly, then, just on the UN aspect, that 45 million, I fully understand it's mandatory, and it's an amount we're assessed for, we're obliged to pay over three years. It does seem kind of random how they actually make these requests. And I just wonder how, is that something other countries are also struggling with? I know some countries have different budgetary cycles, but typically, you know, they would occur around about this time of year. So, Howard, why is the UN doing it this way? Are they particularly bad at forecasting themselves? Or is there any other reason behind it? And have we pushed back on this? Well, there's a couple of matters based on how the amount is calculated, Deputy Brennan. And that isn't straightforward, because you obviously have currency fluctuations, and you also have very different budgetary cycles. Yes, most European countries would have their budget now. Our friends in the United Kingdom would be having their budget now. But as you know, the UN is made up of a lot of member states outside of Europe, and their budgetary cycle can be very different, I suppose to ours, to be quite frank. And that leads to a UN system where it is a complicated method, to be quite frank. And when it hits in the system, and it's a tri-annual cycle, can have an impact. So we would have originally budgeted for what we had previously paid in previous years, but obviously this hits in a cycle where it's a good bit more. And this will ease out. But as I said, it isn't a uniform approach for any country, and that is part of the difficulty when it comes to calculation contributions into the United Nations. Unfortunately, it has been like this for the last number of years, and that would be on the UN side of things as opposed to ours. Okay. Chair, if I have time for one quick follow-up question, just in relation to the passport office. So that seems to be $10 million in and out. So net zero there. But in terms of $10 million spent on passports, how long does that buy us? I suppose the question is, what's a blank passport cost? I mean, is that a year supply? So the decision, Deputy, has been taken to buy in advance a year's supply of the new passport books, just to make sure that there's no possible room for any hiccup in the transfer over to the new books and cards. Okay. Thank you for all that.