Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We need to back away from our Paddy neutrality and become serious about real neutrality. Our negligence in all matters of defence and security will in the heel of the hunt damage Ireland's attractiveness for FDI and, once lost, it will take years to retrieve.

I regret having to point out that the Minister of State's portfolio includes defence yet we are told that she has no role in defence. That is simply unacceptable. I believe she is a strong Minister of State and that she would be wonderful in day-to-day operations in defence. I believe she would have a serious role to play but the fact that she has been to all intents and purposes neutered caps everything I have just said about the seriousness with which we treat defence in Ireland. We need somebody like the Minister of State 24-hours-a-day seven-days-a-week keeping an eye on the tiller in defence. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is far too busy to be able to devote the amount of time that is required in the defence area in this country.

I have travelled the length and breadth of Europe. What has been said to me about our attitude to defence is really heartbreaking. I served proudly in the Defence Forces and many of my former colleagues are deeply concerned at the direction we are going. I saw a photograph of the Minister of State outside Newbridge and commented on it. She should have been inside. She should have been in there kicking ass and taking names because we need somebody there who will drive the thing forward. The Government has put money there but, sadly, there is no outward evidence of any change. We seem to be obsessed with tribunals and things like that.

Senator Ward mentioned radar.Surely to God radar should be in place now. That is two and a half years ago. Where we stand right now is terrible.

I will go back to the issue of the 2013 pension. We are expecting people who are paying into an accelerated pension because they are in highly dangerous jobs to retire at the age of 55 and to be given a paltry pension of about €11,000 year. They must then hold on to that pension until they reach the age of 66 when they can get it supplemented with the old age pension. The people who drafted that pension knew nothing about front-line services, the Garda or Defence Forces personnel. Unless we reverse that and change it, we will not have the people. We are losing Defence Forces members at a rate of 50 per month. We need somebody in the head offices in Newbridge watching what is going on to change the direction in which we are going.

Fine Gael has had the defence portfolio for the past 20-odd years. We need somebody to go back in there and reverse the damage that has been done. I hope the senior Minister with responsibility for defence is watching this debate. I ask that he indicate to the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, that because he does not have the time to be in Newbridge, the Minister of State, despite having responsibility for European affairs, should spend half a week in Newbridge and do something about this. She should drive the change that is needed and get the people in the Defence Forces behind the Government. We are losing gardaí now at the same rate we are losing Defence Forces members. The Minister of State must get the people behind her and drive it forward.

I commend and thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. She will do a fine job in European affairs. I just wish she was given the time to do a fine job in defence. I have confidence that she would achieve something there.