Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This issue is very interesting. I have a few questions. The attrition rate of 5%, which everyone mentioned, is obviously jaw-dropping. Mr. Richardson mentioned the medical reports that had to be commissioned. There seems to be a lot of duplication for reports in that there is a pre- and post-fitness test report. Many GPs around the country are on GP contracts. Has there ever been some sort of agreement with GPs to do one-size-fits-all reports? Who dictated that there should be a two-step medical report? Is there any movement on that to iron out the logjam?

Is it fair to say the R5 agreement is now out of date and a full root-and-branch reform is needed? If the RDF is like a friend who is in a relationship with a fella - I am saying the fella is the Department of Defence and the RDF is the girl - I would say it looks like he is trying to dump her but does not really want to do it. The RDF is not getting any help here.