Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 23 May 2024
Public Accounts Committee
2022 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 35 - Army Pensions
Vote 36 - Defence
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 12: Stock Management in the Defence Forces
9:30 am
Ms Jacqui McCrum:
It is. The Deputy is absolutely right on that front. This is moving at a very rapid pace and we are changing the tempo of the organisation. The Deputy is absolutely right that it is a disciplined force, so if someone is told to do X, they do X and that is it. I hope that with these new family-friendly initiatives, there is support for people like that. We provide other supports such as social workers and we have the personal support services which can help families. The social workers work within the brigades and are a very valuable resource for people who have difficulties in their family circumstances. Regrettably, I cannot say to the Deputy that somebody who has a child with a disability will never be asked to go abroad. That is probably unlikely but I hope a compassionate view would be taken.