Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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On the issue of pensions, there is evidence of senior gardaí having to go to the local welfare office and stand behind people they brought to court three weeks before they retired. We need a whole session on pensions and I ask that that be arranged.

Given the meeting we had on the Air Corps with the Department of Defence and what we have heard today, our report must point out the dysfunction of the Department. The Department of Defence was aware in 2017 that a problem was coming down the line with air traffic controllers and again in 2019. In 2021, the Secretary General of the Department adverted to that problem in a letter to the Department of Transport. At this committee she pointed out that they were working 24 hours per day and that there was no need to worry. It was coming down the line. Everyone was telling the Department it was. The Minister was not advised. I do not want to put the representative body on the carpet. It can refuse to respond to this. The dysfunction that exists in the Department of Defence is affecting the retention of good officers in the Defence Forces. They are aware of the dysfunction and they want to walk away from it.

Second, there has been a lot of talk about overseas service and how the Irish hold a premier position because of the neutral status of Ireland. The witnesses serve overseas with NATO countries and people from all walks of life. Has there ever been a case where a particular problem can only be dealt with by Irish troops because they are respected more than anyone else?

Senator Clonan and I disagree about my third point, the issue of peace enforcement. I think Senator Clonan would refer to it as war fighting, now that it has moved from peace enforcement to war fighting. It is very emotive language when it comes to our report. The witnesses have all served overseas. They are all seasoned officers and commanders. I would be interested to hear their view on that.

A battalion or unit commander will presumably at the end of this have the power to suspend a member of the forces.

Because there is no appeals mechanism in place, that suspension could ultimately become subject to a judicial review. What impact is that likely to have on the officer who takes the decision to suspend an individual? Even if there were an appeals mechanism in place, there could still be a judicial review. The witnesses should feel free to answer any of those questions or none of them, as the case may be. I thank them very much for their time.