Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Defence Forces are in crisis. The recruitment and retention process is in crisis.

Morale is extremely low. A well-resourced and well-supported Defence Forces should be non-negotiable and is necessary. After two and a half years of investigating pay and retention in the Defence Forces, the Cabinet was to consider the Public Service Pay Commission’s report this morning. It is highly regrettable that, yet again, it was demoted in priority by the Government and the Taoiseach as Minister for Defence. Will he give us an assurance that it will be dealt with urgently? Will he also give us a timeline when we will hear, despite the many leaks which have occurred, what the commission has recommended for Defence Forces personnel?

See this speech in context