Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I will be sharing time with Deputy Naughten.I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and to support it and the Sinn Féin and Labour Party amendments. I am shocked by the Government's amendment. It betrays an unbelievable arrogance and shows that the Government is out of touch with the situation that has developed within the Permanent Defence Force.

During the course of the recent local elections, this issue was raised regularly with candidates on the doorstep. It is certainly a concern among the wider public and, of course, members of the Defence Forces themselves. It is clear that the Government policy in respect of the Defence Forces that commenced in 2012 with their reorganisation and the closure of barracks has led to a serious crisis within the service. Those of us who warned that the policy would create such difficulties were not taken seriously. Indeed, we were laughed at and not listened to. Unfortunately, what we warned against has happened.

One of the closures was of Kickham Barracks in Clonmel. Seven years later, and even though we have been promised various projects, a stone has not even been placed on another stone. A query is now being raised about whether the overruns in the national children's hospital and national broadband plans could create difficulties for these projects.

The situation within the Permanent Defence Force is very serious. There have been significant reductions in numbers, pay, allowances, pensions and conditions of service. There is undoubtedly low morale, and studies have shown serious levels of anxiety, stress and mental health difficulties among serving personnel. The figures tell the story. On 1 March this year, there were 210 fewer serving personnel than on 1 March last year. Some 3,200 personnel left the Permanent Defence Force between 2014 and 2018. In the first four months of this year, there were 256 discharges. Due to staff shortages, ships have been unable to go to sea and aircraft have been unable to fly. This is a picture of a service that is not fit for purpose due to the deliberate actions and policies of the Government.

This morning, the Taoiseach told the House ad nauseamabout public service pay and how he could do nothing about pay, conditions and allowances. We have been hearing that line for a number of years. As I pointed out to the Taoiseach, however, the facts of the matter are that the Government gave significant increases to gardaí and nurses in recent times outside the public service pay agreement. In respect of gardaí, there was a €4,000 per year increase in the form of rent allowance and other concessions. There was a package worth €50 million in respect of nurses. Due to the crisis in attracting nurses to the service and retaining them there, the Government was forced to back down and it made significant concessions. Clearly, there is precedent for improving the pay and conditions of members of the Defence Forces, and they should be improved. That more than 80% of members have pay that is less than the average public servant's pay is unacceptable and unsustainable and will completely undermine the Permanent Defence Force unless the issue is addressed urgently.

As Minister for Defence, the Taoiseach is responsible to the Dáil and the public for the situation in the Defence Forces.

I call on him, as a matter of immediate political will, to restore Defence Forces pay and allowances to pre-2008 and pre-FEMPI levels sooner rather than later.

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