David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I will be brief. I thank the witnesses for being here and for their presentations, which were interesting from a philosophical and political point of view, and from the perspective of human rights. They were very well put. I was at one stage a commissioned officer in the Reserve Defence Force. In that position, I was able to join a political party and stand for election. When I was elected, I got a letter from the President stating that my service was no longer required and I was being decommissioned. That was the way it worked. I was a member of the Defence Forces. When we talk about political impartiality, one question came to me. While it is not directly related to these matters, it might be understood as implied. Should members be able to join a political party? I know Mr. King mentioned Defence Forces regulations, DFRs, but primary legislation supersedes many DFRs, statutory instruments and so on. That is a question I would like to put to the witnesses and ask for their views. Should members of the Defence Forces at whatever level be able to join political parties, considering members of the Reserve Defence Force can and do? I note the Reserve Defence Force is not represented today, which is an oversight. Perhaps it should have been represented at the meeting. What are the witnesses' views on that issue?