4 Percent Cut Planned For Next Year's Defense Budget

The Irish Dept. of Defense says it has submitted a budget for 2011 that includes a 4 percent reduction.

The allocation for defense and army pensions is 933 million euros (US$1.2 billion), a reduction of 4 percent over 2010.

The defense budget, including capital spending, totals 725 million euros (US$966 million); that is down 30 million euros (US$40 million) from the previous year.

Some savings will be achieved by reducing Irish participation in international peacekeeping...