Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In more general terms, there is a concern on the part of the committee and on my part as Cathaoirleach. We deal with foreign affairs and defence issues and there are Members present who have been members of various committees over a long number of years and who have considerable experience. I must put it to the Tánaiste that morale in the Defence Forces is at an unprecedented low. This should be a concern to everyone, particularly him as the Minister for Defence. We have found that at our committee meetings since our inception in this Dáil. We welcome the Commission on the Defence Forces and its recommendations, but I do not see those recommendations progressing with the same speed and in the same comprehensive manner as the Tánaiste seems to. For example, when he spoke about the high-level action plan setting out 38 early actions, he stated: "These progress a number of the key recommendations from the commission’s report". He then stated: "To date, approximately 95% of the 38 early actions have been completed. The detailed implementation plan for the commission’s full 130 recommendations is currently being finalised".

I do not see it like that. I ask the Tánaiste to furnish us with a greater level of detail. I understand that such a level of detail would not be contained in a general overview, but there is concern here that what the Department and the implementation group see is not being shared with members of the Defence Forces.

There have been recommendations from White Papers over the years that have not been completed in the manner in which they were originally envisaged, anticipated and planned. I do not see any other means by which there can be parliamentary scrutiny other than through this committee. Our members feel that we should have a formal role in terms of parliamentary scrutiny of all actions. I ask the Tánaiste to assist us in this regard.

We recently had a meeting with the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO. From our perspective, as parliamentarians of every political hue, it was not a good encounter.