Gerard Craughwell (Independent)

I am not going to argue. It will be no surprise to the Taoiseach to learn that I am going to speak about defence. I compliment him on what he did as Minister for Defence in the previous Government. The policies he put in place have seen green shoots emerge, nowhere more so than in his constituency in Cork. The Naval Service is turning the corner and I compliment him on that.

In the short time I have, I will raise a couple of issues I want the Taoiseach to look at. On the post-2013 pension, the Taoiseach's advisers from the Departments of Finance and public expenditure will tell him it is not an impediment to people staying in the Defence Forces, but it is. It is an impediment for An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, the fire service and the Prisons Service. We have to go back and look at it. We also have to get rid of the five-year contract in the Defence Forces. When I joined the Defence Forces it was a job for life. It must become a job for life again. We must have career pathways that allow people to progress to 21 years' service. Having to reapply for your contract every five years is simply not good enough.

I am coming to the end of my time. I could speak for an hour on this, as the Taoiseach knows.