Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----and the butter spread on it all come down to Government policy. The Government published its draft Bill prior to the pre-legislative scrutiny by the defence committee. The Minister said he had listened to stakeholders but he had not. He did not listen to the representative groups, the Opposition or his own defence committee. He just cannot explain why he is pushing this. He says he is listening carefully but the fact of the matter is that he has not done so. It seems he is using a sledge-hammer to crack a nut. I have said to him already that the nut does not even exist. Members of An Garda Síochána know they cannot get involved in party-political matters. So too do members of the Defence Forces. This measure seems to be an attempt to muzzle the Defence Forces. Not allowing members of the Defence Forces, as citizens, to make any comment on matters of Government policy is something one might expect from an authoritarian government but not a government in a republic. Matters such as the opening of a new primary healthcare centre in one’s area all come down to government policy, as alluded to by Deputy Howlin. The Minister is effectively trying to muzzle members of the Defence Forces. I ask him to accept our amendments and to withdraw his own, No. 13. He has made a little bit of a mess of this and I do not know why he is pressing ahead. We will be opposing the proposal. It is draconian. I invite the Minister to withdraw amendment No. 13.

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