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

That is why I believe in this. I agree with the Deputy on the need for more comprehensive legislation to demarcate properly the roles of a chief of defence forces, CHOD, in its entirety and, as Deputy Berry said, equality of status among the heads of services. I agree with all that. That has to be done. However, there is a dangerous trend emerging, even from some of the representative bodies. When representations are made to me, it is almost as if the civilian wing, if you like, cannot have one up on the other wing. There is a bit of that going on in the representations that have been made. That is what I take away from it.

This is what I am trying to do. I was presented with recommendations and I am faithfully implementing those recommendations because I believe the review body and the judge understood the relationship between the Department and the Defence Forces. We have to give confidence back to the members. A lot of reform has happened as a result of the independent review group and the Chief of Staff is leading that reform. We need to do more and we need to do it faster. All of this is related to recruitment, retention, induction and so on. We have taken a number of measures. We have an overarching strategic framework now to try to drive on the reforms. Part of it was the establishment of an external oversight body. The IRG recommended that the Secretary General be on it. As a person with experience of how Government works, I actually see the logic of it, not in terms of trying to get one over anybody but in terms of trying to implement change and make sure change happens.

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