Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat. I want to congratulate the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces on the publication of the 2016 annual report. Over the period the ombudsman received 82 complaints which is a reduction of 35% since the peak of 2012. Some 67 complaints came from enlisted ranks, with an additional 15 coming from the commissioned officers ranks. During 2016, 137 cases were under review and 24 of these were brought to a final conclusion.

While it is great to see a reduction in the number of complaints going to the ombudsman, I have to ask if this is because there is a real improvement in the Defence Forces. I find it hard to credit that it is, given the outcome of qualitative and quantitative surveys which were damning of the Defence Forces.

The time has come for the Minister of State at the Department of Defence to step down. He has presided over the wanton destruction of the Defence Forces. Please do not tell me that this was all about the financial crisis. When Ireland had nothing and citizens were faced with mortgage rates of over 18%, soldiers could buy houses. I know because I was one of them.

Renmore Barracks in Galway and Custume Barracks in Athlone, both barracks of the 4th Infantry Brigade which has since been disbanded, were hives of activity. Recruit platoons were constantly in training. The training depot in Athlone was a hive of activity for potential NCOs. The Army Ranger Wing was the envy of many countries. What have we done?

I recall muster parades in Galway where every morning every section had a corporal, every platoon had a sergeant, every company had a company sergeant and company quartermaster sergeant. When the officers went on parade, every unit had its full complement of lieutenants, second-in-command, captain and a commandant in charge of the company. The battalion had an adjutant, a second-in-command and a lieutenant colonel. Today, we have units that are so grossly understrength that it is not funny. If we look at the 28th Battalion officers alone, there are two lieutenants out of 11, three captains out of eight and two commandants out of five. The 27th Battalion in Dundalk has three lieutenants out of 11, one captain out of eight and four commandants out of five. The 7th Battalion in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines has one lieutenant out of 11, three captains out of eight, four commandants out of five and one lieutenant colonel.

Last year, 72 commissioned officers left the Defence Forces. Of those, 57 left well ahead of their retirement age. The Minister of State often talks about the great recruitment that has taken place in the Defence Forces. Between 2013 and 2017, 2,496 young men and women were enlisted in the Defence Forces but a massive figure of 872 have already left service.

It seems clear that the Minister of State does not understand what is happening. It seems clear that he does not understand the difference between establishment and the number in station. He must step down. The Air Corps is 30 pilots short, three ATFs short, and 1,000 technicians short. The navy is short 25 engineering officers. Over the last couple of years, 2010 to 2017, 384 officers left the Defence Forces voluntarily, including one lieutenant general, one major general, one brigadier general, 15 colonels, 44 lieutenant colonels, 161 commandants, 136 captains and 25 lieutenants.

Losses in the other ranks were no different. Some 4,064 experienced servicemen left the forces, including 29 sergeant majors, 36 quartermaster sergeant majors-----