Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's response was similar to the comments he made on "Prime Time" last night. He is in complete and continuous denial. Who is he trying to fool here? The ships were docked because of the recruitment and retention crisis of recent months and years, yet the Minister of State cites operational and security reasons. How were operational and security tasks performed if the ships were docked? This week, for example, two ships were left in dock because of the retention crisis.

The Minister of State is in complete denial and dismisses the issue by referring to the Public Service Pay Commission. An emergency meeting of senior military management had to address this matter. I now understand that one of the ships set sail but had to draft in personnel who were undergoing training. This is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul to save the Minister of State's bacon in the Department of Defence. He needs to take control of this issue and stop referring to other reasons. On the "Prime Time" programme last night, he engaged in further denial when he referred to weather and technical difficulties and again tried to assure the public that security and defence tasks were not being compromised.

Under the Minister of State's management, the Department of Defence and the military are in complete crisis. There has been no assurance during his tenure. He is completely failing the people. These issues have caused a crisis in morale. Defence Forces personnel cannot sail because of the retention crisis, yet the Minister of State takes no action.

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