Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join the Cathaoirleach in offering my condolences to the D'Arcy family.

Today we had the annual Defence Forces 1916 ceremony. The Cathaoirleach did us proud by reading a prayer as Gaeilge, which, as a former sáirsint from An Chéad Cathlán Coisithe, Gaillimh, was lovely to hear. I thank him for that. It is ironic that we were honouring the Defence Forces and the founding fathers of our State today while at the same time, representatives of the combined uniformed services of An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and the Fire Service are in Buswells Hotel. These are all front-line people and they are there for something that I have discussed with the Leader previously, namely, the 2013 pension. Unless we get to grips with the 2013 pension, we will not have people staying in any of the forces for any length of time. Somebody somewhere, following the economic crash, sat down at a desk and came up with the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. I am damned sure that the person who drafted that legislation is not covered by the Act. This legislation, with one strike, seems to hit all but, actually, it does not. It is slowly but surely destroying the public service. It is currently affecting those in the uniformed services but it will not take long until it hits the full Civil Service. I acknowledge it is a bit late in this Government's life for this but I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to the House to discuss public service pensions, particularly for those who are on accelerated pensions and who have a limited lifespan in which to earn their full pension.

I heard the other day of a soldier who had an accident and has taken the State to court. He has been awarded compensation and a disability pension by the forces but the compensation is being deducted from his disability pension. Where did that come from? There is something terribly wrong with the way we are dealing with our service people and we need to get a grip on it to try to bring them back. We need to get the Minister into the House and convince him that things are going sadly wrong. I encourage all of my colleagues to go over to Buswells Hotel today to hear what the uniformed services have to say and to decide for themselves if there is a justifiable case to be answered.I believe there is. I ask the Leader to do everything she can to get the Minister for public expenditure and reform before the House.

I will raise the matter of Private Billy Kedian's commemoration. As I mentioned in the House previously, he was killed in Lebanon during an act of outright heroism on his part. His commemoration is to take place in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, on 20 July. As a County Mayo person, I am sure the Leader will be there to see that.