Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What the Tánaiste failed to mention is that while the pay may be slightly increased, the allowances and conditions are not being increased in line with comparable countries' defence forces or militaries. This is a fact. The Tánaiste can go and look it up if he needs to but it is a fact. We are haemorrhaging a level of skill from the Defence Forces, particularly the Naval Service which the Tánaiste mentioned, and losing a knowledge base that will take a significant period of time to replace. Nobody coming in the door to any job is able to carry out that job to the same level as somebody who has been there for ten or 15 years. This is specifically true when we look at the very specialised work that those in the Naval Service undertake. While the Tánaiste may be bringing in additional staff and focusing on getting the number back up to 9,500, he is not taking into account the impact that the loss of experienced staff has on ensuring that any training is done efficiently and speedily and that people are brought through to be fully serving members of the Defence Forces. There is a difference between being a member of the Defence Forces in training and someone carrying out the job they are due to do.

I have another question on staffing levels in the Defence Forces. How many posts of an ancillary nature in the Defence Forces are unoccupied?

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