Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Lisa Chambers of Fianna Fáil for moving the motion on which I am delighted to have an opportunity to speak, two members of my family having served in the military in Galway, as well as two members who also served in the city in the FCA many years ago. I am proud to say I am a great friend of Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa in Renmore, which the Minister of State has visited a few times. I call there regularly and it is great to see a number of the soldiers from the barracks serving currently in the Golan Heights. I thought we might get an opportunity to visit them but, unfortunately, we did not. Members of the Defence Forces are serving on many duties abroad and I note in particular the Naval Service which has saved many lives in the Mediterranean. That must be acknowledged. Irish soldiers command a great deal of respect abroad and that must be acknowledged also. It is a pity one hears so many Members talk about the terrible pay and conditions they have and that some of them are availing of family income supplement. I ask the Minister of State to address the issue of their pay.

The role of the Defence Forces was central Ireland's memorial celebration of the centenary of the 1916 Rising last year and its members were magnificent in the execution of their duties. They represented the Defence Forces at local unveilings of commemorative stones and memorials, as well as at the impressive formal ceremonies of Easter week. I was in attendance at Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa when the Minister of State gave serving members the special medals which had previously been awarded to those who had taken part in the Rising. However, what should have been a joyous celebration left a sour taste in the mouths of former and retired members of the Defence Forces who were not included. Those soldiers, sailors and Air Corps personnel who also gave great service to the country feel very aggrieved that they were excluded from receiving those 1916 medals. Some members of the Defence Forces had only served for a matter of weeks when these medals were awarded whereas retired members who had given over 40 years of service at home and abroad were not awarded a medal. I ask the Minister of State to look at that matter again.

It would surely cost the Government comparatively little to right this wrong now, and in doing so acknowledge the valuable contribution to the security of the country made by those not currently serving. It would mean a lot to them.

I am already on the record as saying the reorganisation of the Army structure into two brigades in 2012 has been an unmitigated disaster resulting in endless problems and a suspected fall in morale among members of the Defence Forces. I fully support the motion to restore the fourth brigade based in Athlone, encompassing Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa barracks in Galway. The first infantry Battalion stationed in Galway is now overseen operationally from a regional headquarters in Cork, which is just ridiculous. I suspect the reorganisation of 2012 was a significant factor in the negative findings of the well-being in the Defence Forces survey of 2015. This study found that less than half of serving members were satisfied with their life in the military. Significantly, the study found that satisfaction has dropped greatly, from 64% in 2008 under the old three brigade structure to 48% in 2015, three years after the changes.

The falling strength of the Defence Forces in recent years is also undoubtedly affecting morale. Staffing shortages caused by the voluntary outflow of trained personnel has resulted in operational units being unable to deploy sub-units to platoon-sized strength, 30 persons of all ranks, which is compromising operations.

A total of 45% of Dublin-based security duties must be conducted by regional units. Units such as those in Donegal, Dundalk and Athlone are like Grand Central station, with troops being transported to and from Dublin. The majority of Army units are now concentrated in the east and south of the country, leaving the Border with Northern Ireland bereft of troops at a time of political uncertainty there and the upcoming upheaval of Brexit.

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