Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately the Minister referred to Sinn Féin's position on the Defence Forces. I am very proud of our Defence Forces. I am proud of the role they have played throughout the world in peacekeeping. I am deeply sorry that in periods in history they were brought into conflict with republicans due to the conflict in the North of Ireland. It was a great tragedy. I am very proud of our Defence Forces and I am proud of the role they have played in our communities and of the role of the Reserve Defence Force. I want to be very clear on this. Fine Gael, the law and order party, which absolutely berated the previous Government on these issues is now telling us that PDFORRA, which represents members of the Defence Forces on the front line, is wrong and irresponsible when it speaks about the impact on its members. Soldiers cannot say these things due to their position and must speak off the record to the media to say this will have an impact on their ability to support the Garda in tackling crime. One cannot ignore this. The law and order party of Fine Gael, which relentlessly berated the previous Government about these matters, is now telling us that is a different world. It now says that these organisations, which it freely quoted in the Chamber in the past, are now not worth listening to. Come on.

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