Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are personnel who have served in the Defence Forces and enjoyed their time there, but many of the personnel felt they had no choice but to leave to work in the private sector where they could earn a decent living to support their families. This is the crux of the situation. The general secretary of RACO, Commandant Conor King, has pointed out that 2020 was the year the Defence Forces recruitment and retention crisis should have been resolved. The conditions were perfect: coming into the new year with a healthy economy and a bespoke high-level implementation plan, aptly titled Strengthening our Defence Forces, endorsed by the Government, that was going to implement real change in the Defence Forces organisation and make the Defence Forces once again an employer of choice. Then Covid struck. Now, however, we need firm commitments. We need to maintain whatever momentum is there to have this matter addressed once and for all so that Deputies from all parties and none do not have to keep raising the issue and so the families of Defence Forces members are not subjected to hardship and trying to pay bills and mortgages on poor pay. That is the reality here.

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