Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

The Minister should ensure the employment control framework can be agreed as soon as possible. That is the Minister's task for the next week in his hands-on approach. The other issue regards gender, which I continually pursued with the Minister's predecessor. Consideration should be given to the Curragh, where there is the highest concentration of women officers involved in the forces at all levels. There was a proposal for a crèche in the Curragh but has it been shelved or is it still under active consideration? Women are leaving the Defence Forces for some reason and they may not be getting the supports most young married women would get. If they did, it might encourage such women to remain in the Defence Forces.

See this speech in context