Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am confident we can address the issues but we have some journey to go before we will see a net increase with more staff being recruited than retiring. That is particularly the case with the Naval Service. I am very concerned about the Naval Service. I have had discussions with the flag officer and the Chief of Staff in that regard. The numbers within the Naval Service are a serious concern. We are extending access to private secondary healthcare with a view to improving quality of life for people working in our Defence Forces. In some barracks, we have invested in state-of-the-art gym facilities, which allow Defence Forces personnel to save some small degree of income by not having to purchase membership in an external facility. I recently saw a first-class facility of that kind in Kilkenny. It is our aim for every barracks to have such a first-class facility. I want all barracks accommodation refurbished with a view to using it for accommodation purposes. I do not want it demolished or anything like that. It is then for us to determine how that use will be prioritised.

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