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

We are nearing an end. I will briefly refer to comments made by Senator O’Reilly, Deputy Cronin and Deputy Carthy related to our Defence Forces serving overseas, particularly those in Lebanon, and offer our good wishes to them in this time of great challenge. I acknowledge the work they do on a 24-7 basis protecting the peace. The priority now must be their own protection and welfare in difficult challenges. As an all-party group, we send them our good wishes. To their families, we say they are continuously in our thoughts and deliberations.

It may have been mentioned, but reunion flights in the event of there being a need to transport troops across certain distance are an issue that has been raised with the Tánaiste. Has it happened? Have we arranged for an appropriate level of reunion flights from resources within our own coffers, should the need arise? Is it happening?

Ms Sinnamon mentioned her face-to-face contact with many of the stakeholders involved. It seems outside consultants have been engaged and are being engaged in many of the tasks referred to. Has Ms Sinnamon, as independent chair, met with the outside consultants? Deputy Berry referenced that, on the previous occasion she was here, she said she had intended meeting the representative groups. I understand it has kind of happened insofar as any meeting she has had, she has been wearing a different hat. In her role as chair of the oversight implementation group, does she intend meeting the groups or is there a reason she has not done so over the past while?

I return to a point I made earlier on the working time directive. It seems that is one of the keys, especially in the area of pay and conditions. I do not think it is reasonable for us, the Department of Defence or the Defence Forces to expect this to be a priority for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It is not going to prioritise this because it is not among its core issues. Who will do it? I think it is up to the four witnesses to do it to ensure not only is it prioritised but it is completed in a way that is satisfactory and in a way that is in accordance with the expectations.

I thank the witnesses for the important and helpful engagement. From an all-party group of parliamentarians, we stress to them the importance of this engagement. I have been in elected politics for more than 38 years. I have never seen security and defence being an issue on the doorsteps but I am seeing it now. The reason I am seeing it now is because of the Ukrainian situation and the unacceptable situation in the Middle East. Ireland is an active member of a European Union that sees war on its doorstep and a European Union that is ill-prepared to meet the task it faces in terms of an ever-aggressive Russia. In a few weeks’ time, we will see an election in the United States of America, for many decades the bulwark of NATO.

The uncertainty there is quite remarkable. All of this leads into question marks over the security and defence of this State; what we can do here ourselves and what we can do in collaboration, in partnership, with international colleagues. It is an issue that people are talking about in a way that has not been the case in the past. I see Ms Sinnamon's group as having huge influence on the direction Ireland takes in terms of its capability, its preparedness and the role and function of our Defence Forces.

I thank Ms Sinnamon for being here. Due to the timing of the election here we are unlikely to meet you again in this forum. We thank you for what you are doing. We wish you well in the remainder of your recommendations but we stress the urgency of your engagement. It has been put to us that the process is too slow. You may not agree with that or accept it but it is such that time is of the essence towards the completion of your mandate. We wish you well in that regard. Perhaps you might have a word or two on the couple of questions I have posed.