Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I pay tribute to my colleague, Deputy Lisa Chambers, for the very robust motion that she has put before the House today. I come from south Kildare where people are very proud of the fact that we have the home of the Defence Forces training centre in the Curragh. All of the Defence Forces officers that we have were educated and trained in the military college there. There is a huge military tradition in the county, and I acknowledge the pride that Irish people, those from Kildare in particular, have in our Defence Forces and the contribution that is made by the Permanent Defence Force, the Reserve Defence Force and Civil Defence to society. In Kildare, we regularly remember those members who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the State, in particular those on overseas peacekeeping missions. The Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women, ONE, plays a remarkable part in annual services throughout the county, especially Mr. Philip Coy. I acknowledge the great work of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, and the Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA. One of the first public meetings that I was ever involved in was back in the early 1990s with Mr. Jim Lucey and Mr. Jim Brady at the inception of that organisation, which continues to do tremendous work on behalf of its members.

Being from Kildare, I continually meet soldiers' families and I am acutely aware of the many areas of concern within the forces at present. Many personnel are not happy with their work situation. This has resulted in over 10% of commissioned officers and 25% of enlisted personnel leaving the Defence Forces since the 2013 reorganisation, leaving significant gaps in capability, expertise and unit manning levels. This is particularly alarming. My party has always been committed and continues to be committed to a defence policy that is measured, fit for purpose, appropriately resourced and which allows the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces to go forward with confidence in an ever-changing world of new and emerging threats. "Fit for purpose" is the appropriate phrase that has to be used here. It entails personnel being fit for purpose using equipment that is fit for purpose. With so much turmoil and reorganisation in the Defence Forces, one must ask if the organisation is able to meet all of its commitments. The Minister never ceases to make promises that the Defence Forces are in a position to meet and to face current threats. Late last year, as we were 24 hours from all-out industrial action by An Garda Síochána, we were assured in the House that the Defence Forces could fill the void. Are we sure the Defence Forces have that capability at this point in time? Are the Defence Forces currently able to meet the terrorist threats which are faced in modern Europe? Are we leaving ourselves open to risk as a society?

It seems that with the lack of expenditure and investment, which amounted to just 0.25% of GDP this year, Ireland is lacking the minimum conventional capability to provide a credible defence based on deterrence. The Defence Forces should have a designated strength of 9,500, but their numbers have now fallen well below that. With 12% to 13% of military personnel in full-time training or education at any one time, which is required to prepare for and perform the range of operational tasking assigned to the Defence Forces by Government, the numbers have fallen well below what is required to carry out operational tasks. The Defences Forces have had eight reorganisations and reviews since 1992. That is an average of one every three years. The exploitation of the loyalty of the members has resulted in turmoil, relocation, uncertainty and confusion for members of the Defence Forces and their families. Such tensions and family displacements are not conducive to optimal operational viability, certainty and good morale. I meet families in south Kildare every week who are victims of this turmoil. The Defence Forces have been an easy target for cost-cutting. Its unreserved loyalty and professionalism has perhaps been taken advantage of.

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