Mr. Eugene Gargan:

Deputy Berry's questions are excellent, as usual. The first of those three questions was, given the legislation, when would we see overseas service. We touched on this earlier and there is no reason that could not happen almost immediately. There are obviously a couple of prerequisites around the training and the provision of other resources to ensure that we have the right people to go overseas. At this stage, however, it would be limited as to who would be able to go. There will probably be a requirement to have a look at the employment protection. We are back to that again. The employment protection is a broad issue. One approach could be to make small changes to the periphery of the corpus of legislation and see how that could work or one could take a broader approach by saying that we want tie this in with the broader strategic purpose of the Reserve. What is it there to do? Are we there, for example when it comes to service overseas? Are we there to provide back up to the PDF and fill the slots that they cannot fill in particular or specialist roles? Is there a target where we would make up a small percentage of, for example, a contingent serving overseas? I would favour the latter because such a function would pull along all of the other procedures such as training and standards in order to provide personnel for such a duty.

On the potential for an Air Corps reserve, this was often mentioned when I would meet with colleagues in the Air Corps. They would ask why we were not out there and flying along with them. In our submission to the commission we made a proposal that would provide for an Air Corps reserve, albeit not aloft. Perhaps Mr. Richardson will talk a little bit more about that. Our submission on this is based on a model a bit like the RAF reserve garrison operates. There is certainly potential for that.

On the issue of employment protection. I believe that the Deputy's intention was asking where do we start to protect reservists who are serving in the public and Civil Service. It is a bit like the old saying of charity beginning at home. I believe that the State can set the tone and could actually embark upon making the changes for those who serve the State, through the Civil Service and public service, and to protect them.

There is a circular, if memory serves me it is circular No. 51/1979, which provides for a number of days leave for service in the FCA. That was contingent upon approval by management and so on. It only went so far as looking at training from the FCA point of view. Absolutely we would endorse that idea and it would be a starting place. It would certainly send a signal that the State and the Government is very serious about employment protection for reservists. It would also serve as a test bed for showing how it would actually work. One would get over the issues of the person being absent from their role: how it would be backfilled; how functions are dealt with when the person leaves and returns; and questions relating to the person's insurance, pension entitlement and pay. All of these types of things would have to be sorted out. These are just the details behind it but the principle is a good one.