Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for putting on the record of the House that the vast majority of members of the Defence Forces are decent, honest, hardworking, law-abiding citizens. That was an important statement to make in the House today because of the level of hurt there is in the defence community and family due to things said in recent days. The Minister has now corrected the record and I thank him for that.

I will return to "all matters of Government policy". That is all I ask the Minister to remove. It is a simple thing to ask. Remember that representative bodies, PDFORRA and RACO, are serving members of the Defence Forces. If the Chief of Staff or a senior officer in the Defence Forces feels they have transgressed in some way, they are subject to military discipline. They can be paraded and charged with a military offence. From that point of view, they are unique in how they should be treated in this legislation. My colleague, Senator McDowell, drew on the example of members of the Defence Forces who may not agree with their representative bodies. However, I take it that the representative bodies have been elected by their members, as has their executive and it is perfectly reasonable to ask that the restriction on discussion of matters of Government policy be removed. It is all that is being asked in respect of this section.