Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing this important subject as one of today's Commencement matters. I also welcome the young people who are coming into the Gallery. It is always good to have the opportunity to see young people coming into the Chamber, listening and engaging with our process. I also thank the Minister of State for being here.

This issue I wish to raise relates to the Defence Forces and the Commission on the Defence Forces, which is important not just to me but also to the defence community in south Kildare and throughout the country. As the Minister of State will be aware, the Curragh Camp is the main training centre and more than 2,000 personnel are based there. There are many military families in County Kildare, and many retired personnel have made their homes there. I am only too acutely aware of the difficulties that exist for people who are serving in the Defence Forces.

I note there was a recruitment and rebrand launch in early June 2022 to communicate that a career in the Defence Forces will give a person skills for life. That campaign was run to inspire and motivate potential soldiers. I have no doubt a career in the Defence Forces would give a person skills for life. However, it is premature to say we want to inspire and motivate potential recruits while we are still in pure limbo in the context of the commission.

When the Commission on the Defence Forces report was published in February, I stood where I am now and said it must be a turning point for the defence community in my area of south Kildare and throughout the country. The days of reports and talking about reports must come to an end. We need to come to the next phase if we are to revitalise our Defence Forces and if we are serious about both retaining and attracting people into our Defence Forces. That is important and I stand by the remarks I made.

I must say I was incredibly concerned last week when I heard there are already potential delays just five months after the commission's report was published. We were given an absolute commitment that, within six months, the Minister for Defence would come back with costed recommendations and, more importantly, an action plan. The action plan on the implementation of the recommendations was due to be brought before Cabinet at the start of the month. However, that has now been thrown into doubt amid media reports of internal friction on the issue of costs.

The sticking point that has always held back our Defence Forces is a lack of money. Our Defence Forces, as the Minister of State knows well, go over and above in the service of this State. They work for low pay and in poor conditions, and battle every day to carry out their duties on a shoestring budget. That is something to which they have become accustomed. We owe them more than that. We owe them respect, honesty, investment and appreciation. That is what I hope the Commission on the Defence Forces delivers. It must deliver change, respect and transformation.Prior to Covid I had a number of public meetings with personnel from the Defence Forces. I can honestly say they love their job and serving their country but we hear more than 20% of them have to rely on family income support to be able to meet their bills. I met a young family where the dad has had to serve four overseas missions back to back to help pay the rent and has no chance of being able to buy a house.

I appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, is representing the Minister, Deputy Coveney. Can he confirm a memorandum will be brought to Cabinet in advance of the summer recess and that the action plan will be brought forward to deliver on the ambition of the commission's report?