Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In some ways, this Bill is just a dotting of i's and crossing of t's the Government might regard as a necessary function. However, current members of the Defence Forces have a different opinion of what they deem is necessary. The level of pay is so bad that members of the Defence Forces are forced to apply for the working family payment. The fact that the State supplements wages through the working family payment is an acknowledgement by it that they are underpaid. There are also those within the Defence Forces who earn a couple of euro over the qualifying threshold. We are talking about the cost of a loaf of bread or a pint of milk. They do not get any assistance. These families are forced to make tough financial choices between food on the table, paying the rent, mortgage or whatever it might be and back to school costs. Every run-of-the-mill expense that we have as civilians is fraught with fear and anxiety because of lack of money. This is not acceptable in a modern day defence force.

Our Defence Forces are the working poor because of years of Government neglect. I was talking to a constituent who is a father of five and has served 22 years in the Defence Forces. The reality of the situation for him and his family is that for him to survive he must sign up to serve overseas as a peacekeeper on a regular basis. He has done this seven times. This father is missing so much time with wife and five children. This is time he will never get back. What is often forgotten in this regard is that in his absence his wife is basically rearing the children on our own until her husband returns. This proud man also disclosed to me today that he has since had to apply for the defence forces stress fund since his most recent tour abroad to survive. This man has served 22 years. He has gone abroad as a peacekeeper seven times and must come back and apply for the stress fund. That is just not good enough.

This is like déjà vufor me because I am a proud son of a Defence Forces veteran. My father served 25 years both here and abroad. I recall when we were younger my father had to often work two additional jobs on top of his Army duties for us and the family to survive. Circumstances have not changed. This was contrary to Army regulations back then and I am sure it is now. My father, who is a good, honest man, was breaking Army regulations, something he did not do lightly but had to in order to survive.

As I said earlier, members of the Defence Forces are still the working poor of today and it is just not good enough. I want to put this into the context of what is going on at the moment. Next week, all Deputies will receive a 2% pay raise. This is unwarranted and undeserved and it is totally out of sync with what is happening in society right now. We in the Sinn Féin party will return this increase to the Exchequer. In fact, I found this bizarre when I looked into it. I was elected ten months ago for the first time in the by-election. Since then, this is my third time returning money to the Exchequer. That is three increases in ten months I have returned to the Exchequer. I am not putting myself up on a pedestal and saying I am great. In the context that Deputies are getting a raise three times in ten months when Army veterans are struggling to pay their bills, it is just not good enough. It goes to show how out of touch the Government is.

The Defence Forces on the front line when it comes to the battle against Covid-19. While I acknowledge and thank them for their selflessness in all the work they have done, I also say this in the knowledge that a round of applause and my thanks and acknowledgement will not pay the bills at the end of the month and keep the wolves from the door.

As the previous speaker mentioned, we recently learned that the surviving soldiers of Jadotville will not be awarded the medals for bravery recommended by their commanding officer almost 60 years ago. There was no hero's welcome for those who fought in Jadotville. They were portrayed by some as a national embarrassment and instead of receiving full recognition for their courage, the competence they showed and their bravery, they were isolated, ignored and forgotten. This must be rectified and those medals need to be awarded. The requests of the veterans are minute in comparison to the service they gave this State.

On the subject of medals, in 2016, a medal was issued to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising. This beautiful medal was issued to serving members but retired members did not receive one. I am going to read a letter into the record that I received from Paddy Hyland from Clondalkin who served in the Reserve Defence Force for more than 45 years. He states:

Hi Mark,

I was a member of the [Reserve Defence Forces, which is the old FCA] from 1965/2010. I first served with the 11th [signatory] corps. I then enlisted in the military police until my retirement in 2010. Over the years I have received a medal for 7 years service, 12 years, 21 years. After I retired a medal was struck, to honour the present serving members of the Reserve Defence Forces... It would be my honour to receive such a medal. Many thanks Mark.

Yours sincerely,

Pat Hyland

That is not a big ask for a man who has served 45 years in this State. Paddy, and others like him, deserve these and the previous medals I spoke about in recognition of the service they have provided.

In conclusion, the Bill is a tidying-up exercise and will have no real impact on the daily lived experiences of current and former members of the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces have been failed by successive Governments for too long and the time for talking is over. It is high time that members of the Defence Forces get the pay and conditions they deserve. The buck stops with the Minister and the Government.

See this speech in context