Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I mentioned that the support division produced an analysis of the recent budget. The Chief of Staff's support division delivered an analysis of the recent budget in which it outlined the defence spending in real time is stagnant or reducing, and that it represents the only area of the public service that is making a contribution back to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Considering the retention and recruitment crisis and serious issues over personnel, manpower and capacity, naval ships being docked, having to outsource part of the Air Corps and an element of contagion regarding some of the core capabilities, how does the Chief of Staff feel about giving back money to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform? This is based on analysis from the Chief of Staff's own division. What is his view on the recent budget? Does he accept his own support division's analysis that defence expenditure is stagnant or reducing? Would he like to see a change of course in that regard?

On the question on HR policy, would the Chief of Staff prefer to have a greater role regarding the governance construct? People looking from the outside note the beefing up of the input of the Civil Service, including the Department. The Chief of Staff has made a public plea over pay. He is saying he has given military advice and will give further military advice if the commission does not deliver. If he was fully satisfied with the joint submission that was made, could he not have said he stood fully behind it? Why does he have to engage with the pay commission if the submission made by the Department was adequate? Could he not have referred to that?

The Minister of State said on record at a meeting of this committee that no recommendations were made but that the submission the Chief of Staff gave to the Department had multiple recommendations. Was he satisfied that no recommendations were made and that the Department submitted purely data-based analysis? Those are my two or three questions. I asked another question on the working time directive.