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

The programme for Government indicates that the Government will ensure there are at least 9,500 Permanent Defence Force personnel and a full-strength Reserve, while also implementing the White Paper on Defence. There are currently 8,921 members of the Permanent Defence Force, of whom 440 are in training and cannot be deployed. The turnover rate is 8.1%, which means that we will not get to 9,500 personnel for well over 20 years. Did the Tánaiste see the report published yesterday by the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, which indicates that almost 80% of recently inducted Defence Forces officers are planning to leave early due to the lack of a viable career path as a consequence of Government policy? In short, morale in our Defence Forces is on the floor and the Government is non-responsive. I have raised this matter with the Taoiseach and the Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Kehoe. It is appalling that members of the Defence Forces and officers who have pursued a vocation and spent years in training and education, making substantial personal and professional sacrifices to honourably serve our State, are so desperate to get out of our Defence Forces. What does the Government intend to do to fulfil its programme for Government commitments?

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