Mr. Mark Ecock:

Earlier this year, the Defence Forces started to roll out a Defence Forces app to permanent personnel. However, to date, that app is not available to reserve personnel. Obviously, we are all reservists and part time, and communication is a massive thing for us. The reason they cited is down to the governance and administration of the app. They cannot tell whether the member is still serving or not, and he or she has access to this myriad of potentially sensitive data on the app. That is the reason. I work in IT and there are 20 different ways that we could come up with a solution as to how we know when member is actually serving or not and help to revalidate and recertify so that members are provided access to the app. Again, it is the same kind of them; the Reserve has been overlooked when it comes to the roll-out of the Defence Forces app. Our members really need this communication in order to see, for example, what courses are going on, when medicals are available – all this information that we do not have access to. The only time we get access to it is when we go the barracks and have physical access to a Defence Forces terminal. We all strongly wish the app is rolled out and a proper IT solution and governance of the app is properly provided to reserve personnel.