Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----but the command structure is fundamentally the same. Obviously the primacy of civilian authority over the military remains a critical one. That is understood and a matter of law, as it should be. However, those arrangements and that primacy must have practical application. I think the Tánaiste will agree we need to fundamentally alter the long-standing current provision and give that autonomy in administration and oversight to the Chief of Staff, make the Army headquarters a proper, autonomous headquarters of the Defence Forces, and make the Chief of Staff the Accounting Officer who comes before the public accounts committee in the normal way and is accountable for his management of the administration of our Defence Forces.

The Tánaiste was, I think, quite receptive to the fundamental changes I am suggesting, but he has promised to bring in his own legislation in due course. If the matter is to be addressed, the fundamental changes I propose could be accepted now in this legislation. We are going through a fundamental change in the way our Defence Forces are to be structured and overseen. We will be dealing with the oversight function in later amendments. We hope to also see fundamental change in the growth of the Defence Forces and we must look to the norms of defence forces in other jurisdictions that are like our own. I hope in the intervening period, since we discussed these matters in some detail at committee, that the Tánaiste has had the opportunity to reflect upon them and that we do not get the same response, namely, the rote response that if it is not a departmental proposition, then it is not one worth accepting. The amendment I have laid out is a very significant advance and change. There is nothing extraordinary in it and nothing overly radical. I am interested in hearing the Tánaiste’s views.

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