Defence Forces should not be easy target for cost cutting – Murphy

Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon-Galway, Eugene Murphy, has said the Defence Forces have been treated as an easy target for cost cutting, with Fine Gael taking advantage of the unreserved loyalty and professionalism of the armed services.

He commented, “Irish people take great pride in our Defence Forces and the contribution made by the Permanent Defence Force, the Reserve Defence Force and by Civil Defence and I am keenly aware of this in my area with the Custume Barracks in Athlone.

“Regrettably, the number of serving personnel has fallen below 9,000 and morale among those members is on the floor.

“Changes to restore the pay, conditions, morale and number of personnel will not be done overnight. Several measures are required. We must review FEMPI. We must establish a pay commission to address the damaging 2012 restructuring programme and restore the three-brigade structure.

“We must honour the working time directive, which the Government is not implementing. We must examine the present structure of the Department of Defence to enhance the input and discretion of military management in decisions on defence spending.

“Fine Gael’s approach to the Defence Forces has all the hallmarks of a covert attempt to wind down and emasculate the service to a point where it is no longer viable.

“The Taoiseach needs to take responsibility for this and show leadership. We owe it to the people in the Defence Forces and their families, who cannot speak out or protest, to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” concluded Deputy Murphy.