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

I agree with the Deputy that we need more women in our Defence Forces, at all levels. We need change in that respect and that is something that I am focused on, as is the independent oversight group, particularly on the role of women within the Defence Forces and on career progression for women. As Deputy Aindrias Moynihan said earlier, it is vitally important that we develop mechanisms to facilitate that. It cannot be put into the long or the medium term.

I would make a general comment that I understand and agree that there are shortcomings. We have the infrastructure, including ships, and we are increasing that but there is a tendency that if there is any positive at all we need to rush to knock it. I am not saying the Deputy does this but I noted the commentary afterwards. We cannot allow an hour to pass without making a positive story into a negative one as well. A lot of young people saw in the operation last week, particularly in regard to the role of the ARW and so on, how all that training matters, and how professional they are, along with the Revenue and the Garda, and that they did the nation proud. We have to provide additional services and so on. I get that but we should keep the positives to the fore as well as the negatives that are there.

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