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

I thank the Minister of State and his officials for attending. I also acknowledge the excellent work of our troops when they are abroad on UN peacekeeping missions. I acknowledge the various documents the Minister of State has supplied.

Vice Admiral Mellett outlined his concerns about the difficulty in filling positions on some of these UN-mandated missions. I ask the Minister of State to update the committee on the retention crisis and on the capability to fill certain positions and deploy personnel. Has his attention been brought to the difficulty whereby certain people in the Defence Forces have been effectively instructed to go on overseas missions when they may have just returned home and have found it difficult to leave again owing to family commitments and so on? I do not know if this matter has been brought to his attention.

As Deputy Ó Snodaigh mentioned, we had the second incident of the Department of Defence not properly fulfilling its commitment on the co-ordination of flights for returning troops. It was unusual for this to happen twice this year. Has it ever previously happened twice in one year?

There are reports in some of today's newspapers indicating that certain members of the Defence Forces are expressing concern about the serious cost for soldiers deployed overseas taking annual leave. It is costing between €800 and €1,000 for them to return home. Is the Department examining the cost implication of potentially subsidising members of our Defence Forces who are serving our country and the United Nations well abroad? Is it examining the cost implication when taking their legitimate entitlement to holidays?

In terms of Partnership for Peace and the ongoing examination with NATO of Defence Forces, have any capability gaps been outlined to the Minister of State on our capacity to fulfil our international obligations? Has that been discussed at a domestic level or at any of the defence bodies like the UN or others abroad?

On the capability drain, I am informed that the ongoing retention crisis is leaving units with limited or inexperienced instructor staff for essential weapons or vehicle skills required for overseas deployment. This has resulted in people with certain skills being mandatorily selected having only returned from overseas within the previous 12 months. Is that a concern for the Minister of State and what is he doing about it? This drain in experience is having knock-on consequences for remaining soldiers who are now seeking to leave. Some of the latter are avoiding taking certain courses because they know they will become the next flogging horses if they are being deployed. That concern has been expressed to me where the capability gaps and the skills shortages are further undermining morale in the context of UN-mandated missions. While the majority want to go, some are being turned around on an ongoing basis. For example, a lack of vehicle gunnery instructors is having a knock-on effect on the capability to train crewmen. This is compounded by a lack of suitable ammunition to conduct range practices in order to enable personnel to qualify in the use of weapons systems. Is the Minister of State concerned that stocks of ammunition are being withheld for use in overseas missions readiness exercises?

Someone close to Government - I am not sure who - informed The Irish Timesand other outlets about the report from the pay commission. The Oireachtas deserves to get that information before it is leaked to the various newspapers. When does the Minister of State expect the report to be submitted to Cabinet? When will he provide some hope or prospect to those in our Defence Forces who need the support of Government on pay and conditions?