Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a very important question. The pensions for personnel changed in 2013. A person leaving now will be on the old pension regime and there is an attractiveness there that they get their 21 years and then they get the pension. They are fit and well and can go out and work. The wider question the Deputy asked is a HR issue. The White Paper on Defence was published in 2015. The issue to which the Deputy refers is being looked at in the context of the White Paper. He has a very valid point. However, we have to reach a balance. We have to have members who are fit, healthy and able to perform the day-to-day duties expected of them, whether overseas or at home, whether the person is male or female. I fully understand where the Deputy is coming from. I expect we will have some progress made on the issue shortly as part of the White Paper project.