Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish Deputies Wallace and Clare Daly and the others elected to the European Parliament the very best. I was present for Deputy Wallace's maiden speech and also present to listen to his leaving speech. I hope they will not be gone for too long, but I wish them well and know that they will be good representatives in the European Parliament. We will miss Deputies Wallace and Clare Daly from the Independent benches.

I too have major concerns about the ongoing situation with the Army. We know that the Defence Forces are being mistreated because the report of the Low Pay Commission has not been published. We meet members of the Defence Forces every week in our clinics and although they cannot go on strike, they are being treated appallingly. I am worried as week after week we are becoming involved in different issues across Europe and with the United Nations. I am proud of our record in United Nations missions in conflicts around the world through the decades. There are many people from Clonmel in the different representative organisations who have been to the Congo and elsewhere where it was very dangerous.

The wording of the motion is blatant and there is reference to a "battlegroup". Surely they could have called it some other kind of humanitarian mission and found a better name for it. We have heard what Mrs. Merkel has said and should not sign up. The Minister of State has listed the countries which are joining and implied that we should follow suit. We have been punished enough for being the good boy in Europe and cheerleading. The members of the battle group are Germany, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Latvia and the Netherlands. We do not have to be the best boy in the class in Europe as we were the best boy when money was shovelled in here to completely mess up the economy before we were fleeced in the so-called bailout, against which I voted and bitterly opposed. This is a most serious matter.

We must support our troops on UN missions but not in battle groups or similar positions. We had a debate last week about sending them to Mali and such places which are very dangerous. That was without having a proper debate or understanding of what went on in these countries. Many other speakers have said that we do not have personnel to equip Naval Service ships or fly the limited aircraft we have available. Soldiers are voting with their feet to leave because they are living in poverty. We want to send them to join what is blatantly called a battle group. If this is a neutral country, how can we add support to a battle group? It is what it says on the tin. It is not a peacekeeping mission. If it was, why would they call it a battle group?

I do not know what the Minister of State expects us to do. There is already a coalition on many issues between Fianna Fáil and the Government and the Labour Party is also supporting the Government on this one. I certainly will not be supporting it as I have the greatest of respect for our soldiers and what they have done. We decided to send the Army Rangers off last week. The Government should look after them and their families at home. They should be treated with respect by the Minister of State with responsibility for defence, rather than being placed in more perilous positions. Sometimes it is done with subterfuge and we do not know where troops are going, but the motion mentions "battlegroup". I will not support the motion and many of my colleagues in the Rural Independents Group will not support it either.

The Minister of State mentioned the triple lock, which is meant to be great. It is meant to be like having braces and a belt or two braces and two belts, but it will depend on the Government of the day and the majority it enjoys. A Government can push a triple lock mechanism any way it likes and achieve the outcome it desires, but we need to tread cautiously and consider things carefully when we hear the comments we heard from Mrs. Angela Merkel whose country will lead the battle group. We must make haste slowly and examine things carefully.

Deputy Wallace mentioned the expanding use of Shannon Airport, with troops heading to different war zones around the world. We are in a precarious enough time and should not be putting our soldiers in peril. It is appalling that in the past 18 months two lots of peacekeepers who were ready to return home were left stranded, high and dry. There were families waiting for them to attend weddings, First Holy Communion and other events. They were stranded because of technical issues. The Government should respect them by keeping them at home where they are safe. They should go on United Nations missions but not with this kind of battle group.

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