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

Does the Minister agree that if one considers the recent history of the Defence Forces, it is obvious that massive reform and reorganisation were willingly agreed with personnel in the late 1990s and early 2000s? Does he also agree that when other areas of the public service were expanding massively, in a manner that was counter-cyclical, the Defence Forces were becoming more slimmed-down and effective? In the context of the current crisis, rather than being recognised for what they have done and what they have contributed, the Defence Forces are now suffering disproportionately. This is because they are being asked to absorb the same or greater cuts than other areas of the public services which did not rationalise and modernise during the 1990s and 2000s.

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