Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I will not take eight minutes because the Minister of State has set out very comprehensively the work the Defence Forces have done and that they need to carry out in the coming years.

There is a challenge on investment. On the good side we have a flow into the economy, which means we can invest in this vital service. The Army, Naval Service and Air Corps provide vital security to the country. They also provide fantastic support in a peacekeeping role. As the Minister of State said, more than 600 people are currently on ten different missions throughout the world. A number of years ago I was in one of the areas in which they worked in very difficult conditions on the Sudanese border. It is not an easy job for any member of the Defence Forces, whether they are in a role as commander or as an ordinary member of the Defence Forces there.It is a major challenge to go to another jurisdiction to deal with volatile situations which can change overnight. It is interesting that the one thing about Irish troops, and likewise the Naval Service, is that they have a really good reputation no matter where they go. I remember being in the European Parliament when a member of the British Army came in and made a presentation to a committee advising in respect of the operation which was under way in Chad at the time. He said that the Irish Army had achieved more in six months than the French Army had in 30 years. That was because of the way in which our Army approaches situations. It is not about pointing guns and telling people what to do. It is about going in and asking people what the Army can do for them and how it can help them. That is exactly what it did in its role. In every country it has gone into in its peacekeeping role it has been about working with the community. I suppose that comes from our own ethos in this country of trying to help others who do not have the expertise or skills to complete a task. The members of the Defence Forces have that expertise and are prepared to use it for the benefit of others. That says an awful lot about the dedication and commitment of all ranks in the Defence Forces down through the years.

Yes, there are major challenges in the Defence Forces now. There is no question or doubt about that. It is like in every State organisation when the economy is improving. Looking at today's unemployment figures, one should remember that we have come from 15.9% unemployment down to less than 6% today. We are practically at full employment. We will now have challenges in retaining people in their respective roles both in the Civil Service and in areas such as the Army and the Naval Service. Another reason people in the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps are being sought is that they have the training, that they are extremely well disciplined and that, when they are employed, they deliver the service they are employed to deliver. It is one of the advantages of going through a period of time in an organisation in which there are very strict command structures and a very strict way in which units are managed. That gives people an advantage no matter what job they go into in the future. We must also respond to those challenges. It is not something which can be done overnight. It is a case of constantly reviewing the situation. The Minister of State already gave an outline in respect of the White Paper. We need to constantly review and update the kinds of jobs and security we can provide to people working in the Defence Forces.

There is no question or doubt that as full employment is reached there will a challenge in retaining people. In Cork, for instance, the Naval Service has had huge challenges in retaining people because there is a number of companies just up the road from Haulbowline that are able to offer jobs to members of the Defence Forces, including members of the Naval Services, at pay rates which challenge people who love the work they are in but who must support themselves and their young families. We have to be careful to ensure that we can respond to that challenge.

A lot of progress, however, has been made in recent years. Yes, there were cutbacks at the time of the downturn in the economy and there were challenges in respect of not being able to provide the quality of accommodation and backup support required by the Defence Forces during those times, but that has now changed. In fairness to the Minister of State, my understanding is that there is more than €541 million to be invested between 2018 and 2021. That is a huge sum of money which was not previously available. It is important that we spend that money wisely to the advantage of this country, but also to the advantage of the people working in all areas of the Defence Forces, whether as privates, sergeants, corporals or commanding officers. It is important that we respond accordingly to their requirements and the challenges they face. Again I thank the Minister of State. It is important that the investment programme continues. If possible, additional funding should be put into the Defence Forces to maintain it and to make sure it is ready to face the challenges of the next 20 to 25 years.