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

Does the Minister accept that while the integration of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces is a very positive thing, operationally it has presented difficulties in the short term and that, in effect, the Reserve Defence Force has been imposed on some permanent units? That provides for difficulties arising, not least in areas in which there is assessment through the operation of performance indicators.

There may well be a problem in terms of the protection that exists for employees generally across the State who may wish to participate in the Reserve Defence Force. Is it the view of the Minister that some legislation or regulation is required to enable employees to have time off from their employment so that they can participate in the reserve in a way that is necessary now but may not have been in the past, when much of the activity of the reserves was carried out at weekends or in the evening?

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