Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. We are conscious of the priority the Government has in this area of the review of the Croke Park agreement and we are conscious of the need to continue to achieve savings across the public service. In tabling this question I am asking the Minister to be an advocate for the members of the Defence Forces. I am asking him to recognise that the Defence Forces have been to a very large extent a pioneer in the area of public service reform. The Minister has achieved significant reform in a very short timeframe. I am conscious of the fact that between 1997 and 2007 expenditure on the Defence Forces decreased by approximately 50% as a share of the national income.

I am also conscious, as I am sure is the Minister, that the allowances paid to members of the Defence Forces are, by and large, part of core pay and therefore must be protected. In the work he is doing in this area, is the Minister conscious that a significant number of members of the Defence Forces are in receipt of family income supplement and that fact indicates that the pay of these serving men and women, of whom this State is rightly proud, is at a level that cannot bear further reduction? My critical question is, notwithstanding the needs to achieve savings, whether the Minister is willing to be a personal advocate for the members of the Defence Forces on this particular issue.

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