Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Senator McDowell has experience of how Government works. Essentially, there is no secrecy about this at all. This was in the Commission on the Defence Forces in broad brush strokes in terms of the idea of amending the 1954 Act with a completely new chain of command, but particularly a new position of CHOD. We have no issue with summarising this in terms of what is in the heads, but then the next stage is that we have to draft it and then we have to engage on the basis of the draft Bill, which is normal and makes sense. The issues will be around the accountability chain and some of the issues the Senator raised in terms of who is ultimately the accounting officer, what the demarcation lines are and how we have the chain of command right to the Minister for Defence, the Government, the Secretary General and all of that. They are what I presume will be some of the areas of debate. However, the fundamental structure is going to happen as per the Commission on the Defence Forces because the existing structures are not adequate at all in my view.

I assure Senator Craughwell that we would love more delegated authority. A hell of a lot of delegation has taken place already in terms of regulations and so on, as the Senator knows. We would love more delegated authority. The fundamental point, though, is that this Bill is not suitable for this amendment.