John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. It is unfortunate there are delays. I appreciate the Minister wants to get it right but there also needs to be full debate and scrutiny of what is being proposed by Government to ensure there is proper oversight from the joint committee, which has also been committed to. That needs to happen this side of the summer recess. I am pressing the Minister to ensure that happens and that there is a commitment that will happen this side of the recess, because the reality here is the longer the Minister dithers about a response and action to stem the haemorrhaging of personnel from Defence Forces, which are on their knees, the worse the situation gets. We see it this evening with a report on thejournal.ieon our Naval Service. A secret report commissioned last year highlighted to the Minister again that there were serious challenges with staffing levels and manning levels within the service and that it would be reduced to just three operational ships due to the failure to either recruit or retain key technical staff. The longer the Minister dithers, the more serious the crisis with our Defence Forces becomes.

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