Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming to the House today. I acknowledge the report that has been prepared about the impact on men and women in the Defence Forces. There is a need for urgent reform and I want to express how much I support that. We want to be able to stand over the Defence Forces. I am thinking here about recruitment. When young men or women decide that they want to be part of the Defence Forces, to represent Ireland both here and abroad, we want them to do so out of a sense of pride in that role. That is what is at stake here. It is up to us now, as other have said, to be supportive. This independent report has highlighted, thanks to confidential submissions, the nature of the culture that exists at the moment but that does not mean that the culture cannot be changed. It does not mean that the culture has to continue. It is in the Minister's gift to bring effective change here and I want to express my support for that.