Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all three gentlemen here this morning and thank them for their opening statement which was very comprehensive. As they alluded to, in an ideal world they would not be here. It is disappointing that they feel there was a lack of consultation in relation not just to this issue but to other issues as well.

I take this opportunity to thank our guests and the membership of RACO for their service and loyalty to the State. I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say that we very much appreciate that and thank them for it.

I will confine my contribution to a number of questions relating to the suspension policy as currently proposed here. From a Garda Síochána perspective, gardaí would tell us that they have serious concerns about their policies in relation to suspensions and never-ending investigations in relation to alleged offences. Are there any learnings we could take from that and stitch into this proposal for the Defence Forces? As they outlined themselves, when someone is accused of something, rather than it being a case of innocent until proven guilty, in many ways it can appear that the person is guilty until proven innocent. That is very disappointing. Reputational damage is done when somebody is suspended because people wonder if they did it or not. I can only imagine the stress that brings on the individual and his or her entire family circle. If there are issues that other organisations like An Garda Síochána have alluded to it is important that we take learnings from that. Do our guests wish to comment on that?

I am interested in the working time directive and how it is being implemented within the Defence Forces. How is that working out? Are there any impediments or barriers in relation to that? Finally, I do not know whether any of our guests had an opportunity to tune into the committee proceedings since we started our fairly extensive hearings. We have been fortunate to get a wide range of witnesses on both sides of the argument in relation to the triple lock. I fully appreciate that they may be constrained in what they can say but if they have had an opportunity to tune in, do they have any general comments to make on our hearings to date?