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

I am not satisfied yet. I think we still have some distance to go but we are making progress on a whole range of fronts. On the pay front, the Government has made significant progress with things like the patrol duty allowance and medical care. While they are not specific to the independent review group, they are important in terms of the overall quality of the work environment within the Defence Forces. We have made a lot of progress on the working time directive, which is equally important in respect of quality of life for people working in the Defence Forces. There are fundamental issues in terms of training and command and control. These are complex issues that were part of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces that we are now examining. The recommendations will take a lot of resourcing to implement but we are determined to do so. There is an overarching strategic framework, which encompasses the recommendations of both the independent review group and the Commission on the Defence Forces. They all dovetail, ultimately, in terms of having a better place and better prospects for people working in the Defence Forces.

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