Mr. Gerard Guinan:

We have dealt with some of the questions, such as those relating to pre-consultation and so on, and I will skip over them, if the Deputy does not mind. On the issue of improvements, he is 100% correct. We have seen significant improvements over recent years. I think I first appeared before the committee around 2017 and there have been significant improvements in the Defence Forces since then.

The last thing that PDFORRA wants is to have to fight but, mark my words, we will fight. If those provisions are enacted as is, then our next step will be the courts. We cannot countenance a situation where our voice and the voices of our members are impeded.

In terms of freedom of association, again with our colleagues in Europe we will fight the provision. If a member of PDFORRA is excluded from the scope of representation we will fight it. We do not want to have to do this. It is not good for the Defence Forces. We want to encourage young citizens to join the Defence Forces. We have a deficit in numbers. The last thing we need is to have an unseemly fight over things that we believe are simply unconscionable. Do the right thing now. As has been said, with regard to some provisions they would be simple amendments. We are in agreement with the vast majority of what is included in the general scheme. We have no difficulty with them. Our association cannot countenance those provisions that seem to inhibit representation.