Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputies. We had quite a good debate on this on Second Stage. The Bill is quite technical. It does not change fundamental policy on defence, but I was anxious to use this opportunity to put in place legislation as a foundation, from a legal perspective, to allow the commission to make recommendations to the Government on the future of the Reserve in terms of its function.

Nobody is questioning the existence of the Reserve, but it is currently way under strength. Many people have said to me that if the Reserve had an increased role, they would consider joining more seriously. I hear the kind of accusations of training for training's sake, as opposed to training for the purpose of being deployed with and complementing the Permanent Defence Force at home and abroad. The decision to join or stay in the Reserve should be informed by a more ambitious approach to its role. Of course we need to manage that in a responsible way.

Many in the Permanent Defence Force will need reassurance that this is not in some way limiting their place on the career ladder or opportunity to serve overseas; quite the opposite. We have limitations on what we can do overseas because we have shortages of certain specialties. Ships are not going to sea because of the limitations enforced on us due to the fact we are missing a chef, medic, specialised engineer or whatever. There is an opportunity for specialist skill sets, in particular, in the Reserve to be able to complement and work with the Permanent Defence Force at home and abroad.

When the commission has been established I will ask it to examine this more seriously in terms of international best practice and make some recommendations to me. I have encouraged it to be ambitious and, if necessary, quite radical to reflect the future security and defence challenges we face. One of the specific terms of reference will be the Reserve Defence Force. I do not want the commission to make recommendations and for us then to have to start the legislative process all over again. It could take six or eight months to facilitate those recommendations.

I appreciate what Deputy Berry is willing to do. If he withdraws his amendment, he can resubmit it on Report Stage and see what I come up with. He could then push or drop it if the amendments I bring forward go as far as he suggested. As he said, they will probably go well beyond what his amendment proposed. We are in a good space. I will share the amendments as soon as they are ready for Report Stage.