Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are two issues I wish to raise. Yesterday, the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, announced a detailed implementation plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. It is very welcome and goes into great detail regarding the 130 or so recommendations from that particular report. I ask that the Leader would organise a debate with the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence on this report and the timelines involved. We are all aware of the crisis in retention that is, in the main, in our Defence Forces at the moment and of the need for the implementation of this plan in the quickest possible time. We all hope the timelines which were announced yesterday will be achievable. A number of people and representative organisations have come out welcoming the plan, which we in the Labour Party do too. However, we are told it will be September 2024 when the blocks will be removed to allow those in the Defence Forces benefit from working time directive. These are timelines that have to be adhered to. We need the Minister for Defence to come before us and acknowledge that, for the future of the Defence Forces, these are timelines that need to be implemented. The implementation of radar is also something key to the defence of this country and is something contained within the report. I will finish this part of my contribution by quoting Mark Keane, who is the president of PDFORRA, when he says that this is "the critical next step in ensuring the speedy implementation of the project" which is a "once in a lifetime opportunity and should address the ongoing exit of staff from the Defence Forces". This is what the representatives of RACO and PDFORRA have said yesterday. We need a debate in this House on the report that was announced. It is to be welcomed but it will be the detail and the implementation dates that will be most key to the future of our Defence Forces.

The second issue I raise is regarding rail transport, particularly from Athy where a good friend of mine and a commuter, Maggie Owens, recently has a problem. It is not just Maggie. A number of commuters are raising with me daily the issue of overcrowding on trains, especially on services from Heuston Station to Athy. Regular commuters like Maggie are experiencing fierce problems related to seats on the train and the number of people standing on the train, which obviously they consider a hazard. They have been on to Irish Rail but it would be important to mention this to the Minister for Transport as well if he was in the House. Also key to this is that we were due the fare strategy for the Dublin commuter zone. The NTA said last week it would be announced today and now it is saying it will take another week. I was informed late yesterday that the strategy is not ready for announcement today, which is good. It is saying it is working on a detailed report on pricing and fare structures for train services in the newly announced Dublin commuting zone. It is important the Minister for Transport comes before the House. We need to find out what is behind those rail fares. I am told they will be announced next week. There are a lot of people in Newbridge, Kildare town and all the trains stations in the Dublin commuting zone who are waiting on that announcement. I look forward to that announcement but ask that we could also get the Minister for Transport in to discuss this with us.