Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not get any sense from the Taoiseach's reply that he gets it or that he understands the depth to which morale has plummeted in our Defence Forces. I asked the Taoiseach the very basic question if he accepts there are many families struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis and that morale is on the floor. He did not address that particular issue. We all talk about how proud we are and I am proud. These are people who get up very early in the morning on a constant basis on behalf of the nation and who serve with distinction overseas, as the Taoiseach has said. Us articulating that we are proud of that is meaningless if we do not have any sense of the hardship and misery that many families are going through in their daily lives. Something has to change beyond the norm. We talk about the Mediterranean and how great it was on "The Late Late Show" and so on but what happened? It took two years to negotiate the €15-a-day allowance. I am told by the spouses that the €13-a-week extra in the public service agreement of recent times has not been paid yet. The allowance for 24-hour duties when they come back from overseas, which is €20 a day, is also an issue. Much can be done.

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