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

The reason I refer to his party in government is that in so far as there is any challenge to the nature of the value for money assessment that was undertaken it was undertaken under terms of reference, with which I have no disagreement, prescribed by the Deputy's colleagues in government. One of his colleagues who was a senior Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, when dealing with the value for money report at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence suggested that the terms of reference had been designed to produce a particular result. He seemed to be oblivious to the fact that they were designed by him and his Cabinet colleagues when in government.

To say something blindingly obvious to the Deputy, if I had an agenda to abolish the Reserve Defence Forces I would have announced its abolition. The abolition of the RDF was one of the assessments made by the value for money audit. I am acting on the proposals and suggestions made to me to make the reserve more effective. If I had an agenda to abolish the reserve instead of announcing a reorganisation in its interests and those of members of the public some months ago I would have announced its abolition. I hope that this issue will go away. I read with great interest the presentation made by members of the reserve to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence. They had many positive things to say and they had some understandable concerns but it is very important that we now move forward with the full implementation of the reforms and I look forward to the day when the reserve is perceived by the public as playing a role that has clear public benefit.

See this speech in context