Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It has been well and truly discussed at this stage. This morning, we turned on our radios and listened to Commandant Cathal Berry, one of Ireland's finest soldiers, a man who joined the cadets, became a ranger, took leave of absence over five years, became a medical doctor and eventually took over as the officer commanding at the Curragh medical college. That man left the Defence Forces because he loved them. He did not leave because he was disgruntled. He left because he loved them. I have met the man. He left because of pay and retention. We have been told time and again that the independent Public Sector Pay Commission will report on this. I want the Minister for Defence, an Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to come to this House and explain to us why the Defence Forces' submission was first sent to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform before it was passed to the Public Sector Pay Commission, which is independent. Why was it not sent directly to the submission. Why did that happen? Did the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform doctor the document that was sent to the commission? Why was it done? It was not done with any other submission.