Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have met PDFORRA in the past. I attended a previous conference. The Minister of State attended the most recent conference. It is very valuable and important that he is engaged in this matter. With regard to the suggestion I do not listen to PDFORRA, the representative bodies are very important in the Defence Forces and they have been very constructively engaged in addressing a series of issues. I distinguished the constructive, helpful and informative engagement that takes place most of the year and of course there will be disagreements on some issues. This is the nature of the way the world works when one has a representative body on one side and a Department on the other. I like to constructively work through issues when they arise. I merely made the comment that unfortunately when it comes to annual conferences people say things or perhaps exaggerate complaints because of the atmosphere these conferences create-----

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