Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the remarks made, particularly those of Deputy Lisa Chambers, about the Reserve Defence Force. At the last meeting of the select committee I highlighted the undervalued importance of this resource during the years. From where I come, many young people have been kept out of the way of harm and prevented from getting mixed up with the wrong company by good Reserve Defence Force officers who recruited young people who might have been vulnerable at a particular stage in their lives but who went on to serve in the Reserve Defence Force and, subsequently, the Permanent Defence Force and many other careers. I firmly believe the role of the Reserve Defence Force was crucial in ensuring successful careers for the people concerned and preventing them from getting involved with paramilitary organisations, etc.

There must be some innovative campaign to try to recruit to the Reserve Defence Force. I do not have the answer, but some colleges of further education offer security courses. The cohort of students attending such courses may be interested in joining the Reserve Defence Force. It might be worth considering having Army personnel liaise with the education and training boards which run the colleges of further education. Cavan and Monaghan institute of further education run very successful security courses and a cohort of the participants may be interested in becoming involved with the Reserve Defence Force. It might be worthwhile for senior Army personnel to speak to these classes. In my area, Cavan and Monaghan, many members of the Reserve Defence Force have given sterling service during the years and they never did it for the few pounds they received but to serve their local communities.

The Minister of State spoke about the unanticipated number of retirements that could occur in any year. Unfortunately, two or three years ago, too many personnel in the lower ranks were pushed out of the Army when they reached a certain age or had completed 20 years of service. Many people I knew well, predominantly men in their mid to late 40s, who were still extremely fit and had the physical capacity to meet all duties that would have been assigned to them, were pushed out because they had served a certain number of years. It was regrettable that this knowledge and expertise were lost. Having a finite cut-off point is incorrect in any organisation. It is regrettable that so many good people were lost. Many of the individuals I knew had serious family commitments, with children just starting in third or second level education. They had to leave their professions and jobs to which they had given absolute commitment. A few of them had served on several overseas missions and had always worked extremely hard to honour the national flag to the greatest extent possible. They were exemplary members of the Permanent Defence Force. It was regrettable that the Army pursued this policy which should be examined. Where there are good people with the required fitness levels to continue, they should not be pushed out because they have completed so many years of service or because they have reached a certain age. I hope the Minister of State will take this into account.