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

I refer to the RDF. A powerful presentation was made to the committee about this recently and I am sure the Minister has read the transcript. Many issues were raised but one was that if people are in receipt for a social welfare payment and do the training, the payment ceases but they are not paid for the duration of training, which is a considerable time. Losing a few weeks income when someone is on a low income is not acceptable. I pointed out that day that cheques for personnel in the Department, the Permanent Defence Force and ourselves are in our bank accounts at the end of every month. It is not acceptable that people on low incomes should have to wait a number of weeks to resume social welfare payments. That seems to be a case of bad administration within the Department if the way I took the issue up is accurate. Surely there is a way to amend that. If a person completes a week's training, there should not be a delay in his or her payment. Others members and I have outlined previously to the Minister of State the value we attach to the RDF. I instanced many young people where I come from who would have been vulnerable were it not the opportunity they were given in the Reserve to participate and play a good role in society.

Three Bills - the Red Cross Bill, the Defences Forces (forensic evidence) Bill and the Defence (amendment) Bill - seem to be going backwards every year. The current Dáil is not over-burdened with legislation at times. I presume they are relatively non-contentious Bills. Will the Minister of State indicate when he hopes to have them before both Houses?

There has been substantial expenditure on naval vessels. Have Naval Service performance targets improved following this investment? What has been the outcome of that investment?

There is provision in the Department's budget allocation this year for aircraft purchases. Due to recent events, there has been considerable coverage about inadequacy of the Air Corps. There was commentary about aircraft being in for service and repair for undue periods of time with them being out of commission instead of being available when they are called upon. Will those deficits be tackled with some urgency? Are the Defence Forces' aircraft fit for purpose? Will they not be out of commission for undue periods of time?