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

Perhaps the Minister did not say it directly but it was implicit in what he said. Is he prepared to see a defined role given to members of the RDF? Does he see a role for them in overseas missions. The people on LE Eithne are literally fishing refugees out of the water in the way fishermen might do. I could see a role for properly qualified and trained civilians in that initiative and yet the commitment to the Naval Reserve is such that establishment figures have been cut from 400 to 200. We need to see some practical commitment now rather than in the future.

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