Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

As set out, its role and function are to support the Permanent Defence Force in a number of operations. As I stated in connection with the Red Cross, some of this was envisaged in a period when the opportunities and threats presenting differed from those currently at play. I strongly suspect that the recommendation of a particular report to cut the numbers in the RDF to one third was driven by this view of the world and would reduce the potential and role of the reserve. It is not something to which I subscribe and I will deal with the matter as time allows.

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