Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At the end of last month, a newspaper report claimed that in January 2018 more than 30 members of the Naval Service had asked to apply for discharge. The situation was described as "unprecedented" and "worrying" by PDFORRA. Concerns have been expressed at the wealth of experience being lost at one end of the scale and at the number of younger personnel who are jumping ship only a couple of years into their careers. PDFORRA president, Mr. Mark Keane, says that only a couple of the 33 members who had so far sought to be discharged in the past month were actually eligible to retire this year. That suggests young, able and very experienced personnel are getting out fast. The figure cited averages to approximately one member per day. If that continued, the Naval Service would lose one third of its personnel in one year. Mr. Keane says seasoned petty officers and leading seamen with a wealth of experience are among those seeking to leave the service, which will have a serious effect on the level of corporate knowledge within the service.

What is the Minister of State doing to address this serious loss of experienced personnel from the Naval Service? What is he going to do to train new persons coming into the service given that extent to which middle management and those with experience are leaving and unavailable to train recruits?

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