Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 30 November 2016

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary)

5:40 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. I have spoken to the Chief of Staff about the matter and he has spoken to his general officers commanding, GOCs, in the first and second brigades and the training college. I have asked that those who apply be allocated to barracks close to their homes. In certain circumstances they may have to move around the country, for example, if they are promoted. However, it should be totally up to themselves. At the start of their careers, they should be located, if at all possible, as close as possible to their homes.

The Deputy spoke about members of the Defence Forces going into secondary schools to speak to students. I feel very strongly about this. If we are to educate people about Army life and joining the Reserve Defence Force or the Permanent Defence Force, we must go in to schools, particularly where there is no military life or history of the Defence Forces in a town, for example, in County Wexford where there is a Reserve Defence Force barracks but no real history of the Defence Forces. We would be going before a new audience to encourage them and let them know about the Defence Forces and what they do. There have been some programmes aimed at the promotion of the Defence Forces and it is a great opportunity to show the wider community what the Defence Forces do.

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