Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

One does not get a chance to respond to the Leader's response at the end of the Order of Business. Yesterday, he put up a sterling defence of the pay rise given to the Department of Defence people. Indeed he was correct. It was a 24% increase, not 25%. This means that 84.12% of members of the Defence Forces are 7% worse off than every other worker in this State based on averages. We also learn that if a serving soldier from the rank of captain and below has three children, he or she qualifies for family income supplement. A commandant and below with four children qualifies for family income supplement so it is hardly a gold-plated career.

Let us look at strength. With effect from 17 April, the 7th Infantry Battalion had one colonel, of one, three commandants of five, two captains of eight and three lieutenants of 11. It is 64% deficient. The 6th Infantry Battalion, Athlone, has one colonel of one, two commandants of five, four captains of eight and two lieutenants of 11. It is 64% deficient. The 28th Infantry Battalion at Finner Camp has one lieutenant colonel, two commandants of five, five captains of eight and three lieutenants of 11. It is 56% deficient. The 27 Infantry Battalion in Dundalk has no lieutenant colonel of one, one commandant of five, three captains of eight and two lieutenants of 11, one of whom is a second lieutenant. It is 76% deficient. The 2nd Artillery Regiment has no lieutenant colonel, two commandants of five, two captains of eight and one lieutenant of 11. It is 79% deficient. If one is telling me that the Defence Forces are in a solid state, I am afraid somebody somewhere is telling porkies.

I asked for the Taoiseach to come to the House and address the crisis that is the Defence Forces today. We are all very good at seeing them march up and down outside the GPO and pinning medals on their chests. The truth is that the Defence Forces are being run into the ground. These are decent men. Recruitment has fallen by 55% since 2016. I really do think we have a crisis. I join with Senator Leyden in asking for the Taoiseach, who is the de factoMinister for Defence, to come here and debate these issues. Unless we do something, we will not have our Defence Forces. I will release additional information over the next few days. The information I have given this morning is empirical. It is not something I dreamt up. It is empirical.