Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, to the House.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing this important subject as one of today's Commencement matters. I also welcome the young people who are coming into the Gallery. It is always good to have the opportunity to see young people coming into the Chamber, listening and engaging with our process. I also thank the Minister of State for being here.

This issue I wish to raise relates to the Defence Forces and the Commission on the Defence Forces, which is important not just to me but also to the defence community in south Kildare and throughout the country. As the Minister of State will be aware, the Curragh Camp is the main training centre and more than 2,000 personnel are based there. There are many military families in County Kildare, and many retired personnel have made their homes there. I am only too acutely aware of the difficulties that exist for people who are serving in the Defence Forces.

I note there was a recruitment and rebrand launch in early June 2022 to communicate that a career in the Defence Forces will give a person skills for life. That campaign was run to inspire and motivate potential soldiers. I have no doubt a career in the Defence Forces would give a person skills for life. However, it is premature to say we want to inspire and motivate potential recruits while we are still in pure limbo in the context of the commission.

When the Commission on the Defence Forces report was published in February, I stood where I am now and said it must be a turning point for the defence community in my area of south Kildare and throughout the country. The days of reports and talking about reports must come to an end. We need to come to the next phase if we are to revitalise our Defence Forces and if we are serious about both retaining and attracting people into our Defence Forces. That is important and I stand by the remarks I made.

I must say I was incredibly concerned last week when I heard there are already potential delays just five months after the commission's report was published. We were given an absolute commitment that, within six months, the Minister for Defence would come back with costed recommendations and, more importantly, an action plan. The action plan on the implementation of the recommendations was due to be brought before Cabinet at the start of the month. However, that has now been thrown into doubt amid media reports of internal friction on the issue of costs.

The sticking point that has always held back our Defence Forces is a lack of money. Our Defence Forces, as the Minister of State knows well, go over and above in the service of this State. They work for low pay and in poor conditions, and battle every day to carry out their duties on a shoestring budget. That is something to which they have become accustomed. We owe them more than that. We owe them respect, honesty, investment and appreciation. That is what I hope the Commission on the Defence Forces delivers. It must deliver change, respect and transformation.Prior to Covid I had a number of public meetings with personnel from the Defence Forces. I can honestly say they love their job and serving their country but we hear more than 20% of them have to rely on family income support to be able to meet their bills. I met a young family where the dad has had to serve four overseas missions back to back to help pay the rent and has no chance of being able to buy a house.

I appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, is representing the Minister, Deputy Coveney. Can he confirm a memorandum will be brought to Cabinet in advance of the summer recess and that the action plan will be brought forward to deliver on the ambition of the commission's report?

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Minister for Defence welcomed the publication of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in February of this year. The establishment of a commission on the Defence Forces was set out in the programme for Government and was a key priority for the Minister, Deputy Coveney. The members of the commission were drawn from a wide range of national and international experts. The publication of the report represents the culmination of 13 months of work and is testament to the considerable efforts of all those who contributed to it.

The report is wide-ranging and comprehensive. It contains 69 recommendations and together with sub-recommendations, there are 130 recommendations in total. The report proposes significant changes for the Defence Forces, including significant cultural changes and changes to human resources, HR, practices. It also includes proposals on high-level command and control structures and for the level of defence provision in Ireland. It challenges the status quoacross a range of areas and is forthright about a requirement for cultural changes in the Defence Forces. It proposes a range of measures to make the Defence Forces a more inclusive, diverse, equal and attractive workplace. The importance of the Reserve Defence Force is clearly stated, as is the immediate action required there.

The report poses serious questions regarding defence provision that we, as a society, must carefully consider. This includes the types of defence capabilities we should retain and the level of resourcing we are willing to commit to equip and train our Defence Forces for the roles we require them to undertake. The Minister hopes this report will provide the platform for real debate about the defence we need as a modern neutral European country.

The report sets out three indicative levels of ambition, or LOAs, namely, LOA 1, LOA 2 and LOA 3. LOA 1 would encompass current capability, LOA 2 would enhance our current capabilities and seek to address specific priority areas and LOA 3 would look to develop full spectrum defence capabilities to protect Ireland and its people to an extent comparable with similar-sized countries in Europe. The commission recommends a step up to LOA 2 in the short term, pending more detailed policy debate and decision required for higher levels of ambition. This step up to LOA 2 would require an additional €500 million per annum. LOA 3 would require expenditure of €3 billion per annum.

Clearly, there are matters that require careful consideration and, in some critical aspects, interdepartmental discussion and agreement. This includes the level of resourcing that may be allocated to defence and the governance framework that will be required to underpin the changes the commission has recommended.

Since the report was published the Minister for Defence has engaged in extensive consultation with ministerial colleagues and a range of other stakeholders, including the representative associations. This is a complex and technical piece of work on which the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces have been collaborating with a range of stakeholders, including other Departments. This has included detailed and very constructive discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Minister for Defence will shortly revert to Government with a proposed response to the commission's recommendations and a high-level action plan. The implementation process will follow Cabinet agreement on the recommendations to Government.

There is significant work ongoing in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces, which the commission referred to in its report. This includes key issues such as the development of a capability development planning process, the work of the independent review into dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces, ongoing procurement of equipment and infrastructure, direct entry competitions and the amendment of legislation relating to the working time directive.

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to appear and for her interest in such an important matter.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces is a substantial one, running to 224 pages and containing 69 recommendations. It is a colossal piece of work. I appreciate the complexity and the technical nature of devising an action plan to implement these findings. However, we cannot fall at the first hurdle. There must be a time-bound element to it.

The report calls for a major investment in the three arms of the Defence Forces, the Air Corps, Naval Service and Army. We must deliver the funding required for the people serving our country in order for them to be able to live a decent life and have a decent lifestyle for themselves and their families.I have no doubt there is a time element but the Oireachtas and the Cabinet, as bodies, have a responsibility to play a part in advancing the agenda. The request is very clear from the perspective of the Commission on the Defence Forces and Defence Forces personnel. They want a well-funded multi-annual plan that will transform the operations of our Defence Forces, as well as providing a viable and sustainable career path for Defence Forces personnel. I have no doubt in the Department's ability to deliver that but must be prioritised.

The Minister of State indicated in his response to me that the Minister for Defence will respond shortly. Will the Minister of State absolutely guarantee this will be done before the summer recess because that is what is required?

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The first question is whether the Minister for Defence will come back on this before the summer recess. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has said he will shortly revert to the Government and I cannot go beyond that. That is his guarantee. He has said he will respond to the report but he will also bring an action plan to the Government. That deals with the Senator's other question.

The Senator mentioned that the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps are the three branches of the Defence Forces but we must also think about cyber defences, which will also need attention. That is referenced in the report.

The budget is coming up and, as the Senator knows, the summer economic statement was published yesterday, although that does not provide any detail about the different Departments and who is getting what. The Department of Defence is liaising with my Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to work out what level of funding is required for this year's budget. I cannot say any more than that. I am here on behalf of the Minister and that is all the information I can give the Senator.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have just read through the notes and there is mention that it will happen before the summer recess. That is in the statement that was circulated.