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

I thank the Minister of State for his presentation today. We all agree with the need to ensure there is adequate funding put in place to meet the requirements of the people who have served our country well. This is our last engagement with the Minister of State in 2018. I thank him and the officials for their co-operation and engagement with us over the course of 2018.

Could the Minister of State extend to the members of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces our appreciation as a committee for the work they do on our behalf, on our island and on missions overseas too? I would very much appreciate if that message could be sent to the serving members, of all ranks, to assure them of our full support for and appreciation of the work they do so well on behalf of all of us. They do much good work in promoting the interests of our country abroad in their different peacekeeping missions too.