Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I remember standing outside Collins Barracks in Cork with wives, partners, mothers and children who were fighting to improve the terms and conditions of their husbands, partners and loved ones in the Defence Forces because they did not have the ability to do it themselves. I know that is the core of this Bill but it does not go far enough. Members of the Defence Forces must be listened to and involved. How will the Government sort out recruitment and retention if it does not have the Defence Forces at the core of this and cannot encourage more people to join? The numbers are at an all-time low. This year, we had to pull out of the Golan Heights because we did not have sufficient numbers of personnel. That is a shocking indictment of the Government's management of the Defence Forces in relation to recruitment and retention.

I want to mention Women of Honour. I have spoken of them here a number of times. It is not just the Women of Honour. I have spoken to male members of the Defence Forces who told me of the bullying, intimidation and, in some cases, sexual abuse they faced, as well as a culture of cover-up and dismissal. There is a huge issue in the Defence Forces with bullying, intimidation and cover-up. Until that is resolved, issues with recruitment and retention will remain. I call for justice for those who have been affected by this and have been ignored and dismissed. This is another scandal. In this State, we have had any number of scandals, one after another.

We talk about peacekeepers. Where are the peacekeepers for Gaza? Last week, a mother, father and daughter were killed and doctors operated on the dying mother to save her child. The child's name was Sabreen, named after her mother. She lived for five days. Atrocities and genocide are happening in Gaza. They called this baby girl an angel for the five days she lived. It is absolutely unbelievable that we talk about peacekeepers and peace when entire families are being murdered. Thirteen thousand children have been murdered in Gaza in a genocide. When we look back in years to come, we will hang our heads in shame that we did not do more to stop the genocide that is going on now. I ask the Minister of State and the Government to please do more. If the European Union will not support us, we must do more ourselves.

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