Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

One of the fundamental problems is that defence is not at the Cabinet table and the Minister of State is not a full Cabinet Minister. There is no reason we should not have a Minister for Defence and perhaps for security generally with An Garda Síochána.

I want to raise very briefly, in case I do not get another chance, the incredibly low level of pensions and gratuities for Óglaigh na hÉireann. For example, after ten years pensionable service the pension for people on an income of €42,000 would work out at the princely sum of €2,141 a year and the gratuity would work out at €15,000. After 20 years pensionable service, with pensionable pay of €45,000 a year, the pension would work out at the princely sum of just over €5,000 a year and the gratuity would be just over €35,000. Compared to the rest of the public service these are incredibly low figures. They reflect the general fact the Defence Forces are the Cinderella of public service levels of pay. The Minister of State read out the figures throughout the ranks but they are totally unacceptable.

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