Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste. We have discussed in this House the fact that Cavan has a long and proud Army tradition. There has been stronger recruitment in areas where there is an Army barracks. Unfortunately, we are losing that attachment and that number of young people who went into the Army that we had in the past. I know the Tánaiste met some local members of the Permanent Defence Force, good friends of mine, who were recently in the Golan Heights. We still have an Army tradition but it is not as strong as I would like. To improve recruitment and retention, another Army barracks that is taking in personnel from its immediate catchment area would help to boost necessary recruitment. We all want 11,500 members to be enlisted by 2028 but that is only four years away and we are now at 7,500. Our Army will need 1,000 new recruits each year and they will need proper accommodation. Such accommodation is available in Dún Uí Néill in Cavan town and I appeal to the Tánaiste to start by establishing it as a forward operating base.

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