Seanad debates

Tuesday, 29 November 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Mark WallMark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise Defence Forces issues with the Leader once again. I read a number of comments by Lieutenant Colonel Conor King, general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, in advance of its annual conference, which takes place in Kildare today. This morning, Lieutenant Colonel King outlined his fears about the growing retention crisis in the Defence Forces, stating that the forces had lost 500 personnel across all ranks in the past 18 months and that the total force now numbered 7,750, including those in training. We are all aware that the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces calls for a serving strength of 11,500 personnel. Like its fellow representative association, Permanent Defence Forces Representative Association, PDFORRA, RACO will today state that the failure to implement the working time directive is having a detrimental effect on recruitment, retention, morale and work-life balance.

The Minister for Defence recently attended the House for a debate on neutrality, but a number of questions that colleagues and I posed to him remain unanswered. We are nine months on from the publication of the commission's report. For the sake of the future of the Defence Forces, we need to see action on the working time directive, which is one of the report's recommendations. I support both representative associations in their call for action on this important matter. Will the Leader dedicate some time early in the new year for a debate on the first full year of the report's publication and where its recommendations stand?

I also support recent calls for a debate with the Minister for Transport on a growing number of issues around public transport, including rail. In recent weeks, I have been contacted by a number of commuters who are experiencing problems at rail stations throughout south Kildare. In a previous Private Members' debate, I mentioned that the disabled toilets were not open at Newbridge and other stations. I have been informed that they will only be open when staff are present, but it seems that is not happening in practice. The Leader can imagine the problems this causes for people in need of such a facility in an emergency. There are also issues with the opening of waiting rooms, with the one in Athy rail station closed for a considerable period. I am informed that this is because of staff issues. I have been assured by Irish Rail that it is working on resolving these issues. In light of the unpredictable winter weather that we are experiencing, though, doing so must be a priority for Irish Rail. It is not good enough that commuters paying substantial fees are left out in the cold.

I support the call by the chairperson of the Kildare Down's syndrome group, Ms Cassandra Ryan, for a temporary premises to house the great work it does. Ms Ryan made a call on my local radio station, Kfm. With Councillor Angela Feeney, we supported the group's calls for assistance from the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB, at its current premises. Thankfully, the group has received an extension until June. Ms Ryan informed us this morning that the group had located a permanent site but that, due to planning and building issues, it would not be ready for 18 months. Hence our call to anyone who may be able to assist the group with a premises from June for that 18-month period. Through a number of parents who have contacted me, I am aware of the great work that the group carries out and I hope that someone will be able to assist it with a premises.

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