Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful to the Minister of State for the time to speak on this important issue. When I heard about the Cabinet's decision, my first thought was that this decision definitely seems to be more a politically motivated than based on militarily ideology. I question the motivation behind it. Our Defence Forces have a very strong respectable reputation for peacekeeping around the world, a tradition of which I am especially proud. I respect any person who puts on a uniform of any type for the State and I respect the work they do.

We have had debates in which we spoke in support of our Army personnel and the fact that they are so underpaid. It is ironic at a time when the Cabinet makes a decision such as this deployment, we have still not properly or adequately addressed the issue of poor pay and recompense for our Defence Forces personnel. Those personnel have been treated very badly for many years.

Ireland has a proud tradition of helping out when needed. I question the decision to send elite Permanent Defence Force members to Mali at this time. Since 2013, I have observed what MINUSMA involves. It is a massive operation. It must be remembered that the mission is fraught with danger, with, tragically, 177 members of the 15,000-strong force having been killed. In anybody's terms, this is a massive loss of human life, causing suffering for those families affected, to whom we offer our sincere sympathies. To send members of our Permanent Defence Force out there at this time is dangerous. MINUSMA is not a normal peacekeeping mission. I would really like to know more about what motivated Cabinet to make its decision. I ask again whether the decision is really a politically motivated one. Is there more to this than meets the eye, particularly in the context of what the Cabinet considered before it signed off on the decision? It is obvious what will happen next. As a result of this decision, the Dáil will be obliged to approve the proposal in order for the troops to be deployed. I presume the Minister of State will be able to do that despite objections from Deputy Mattie McGrath and others who have concerns like those I harbour.

In recent days, I read about this matter by Stephen McDermott in thejournal.ieand in the national newspapers. There is a lot of concern about this proposed deployment. We see it as perhaps endangering the neutrality for which Ireland is so highly regarded and respected throughout Europe and across the globe. I have grave concerns about it. Even if the triple-lock conditions are satisfied, if the Dáil passes the motion and if the deployment happens, I will continue to wonder about thought put into making this decision. Will the Minister of State make a clear statement on behalf of Government as to what motivated it to reach this decision? On behalf of the families and the people who work in our Defence Forces, will the Minister of State indicate when we can be sure that their pay and conditions, which the Government has tinkered with over a period, will be addressed? When can we say they will be treated in the same way as their counterparts in other countries, namely, with the respect they deserve? I ask the Minister of State to reconsider this deployment. I have grave concerns about it. I acknowledge the contributions that were made earlier and to which I listened. There are many more Members than Deputy Mattie McGrath and I who are concerned about this matter.

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