Submission by Cllr. Aengus O’Rourke, Mayor of Athlone / Municipal District.

To: Commission on the . Date: 8th March 2021

I welcome the opportunity to make a submission to the Commission on the Defence Forces.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deal honestly and openly with the many problems that have led our Defence Forces to a point of crisis and to a point of huge uncertainty. Uncertainty in any organisation eats away at the very fibre and stability regardless what the function or purpose of that organisation is.

However, in the case of a national army, more than any other organisation, uncertainty is extremely damaging and very destructive. Evidence of this can be seen in the current recruitment and retention issues that currently plague our Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) in .

While the main mission of our Defence Forces is to contribute to the security of the state by providing for the military defence of its territorial integrity, in reality it carries out a whole range of additional functions: For example: search and rescue, air ambulance service, government air transport service, assistance on the occasion of natural or other disasters on a local and national basis, assistance in connection with the maintenance of essential services and the all-important role of patrolling our seas, which as an island nation is critically important.

The crisis faced by the Defence Forces in 2021 can be easily traced back to a number of factors:

- Under Investment by Government over the past two decades or more. - A lack of strategic thinking over the past decade around ‘the future’ of our Defence Forces both by the Defence Forces hierarchy, the Department and the Government. - The absence of a Minister for Defence; a full ministry at the cabinet table rather than a token MoS position. - A lack of meaningful engagement between the Government and the Representative bodies. - Poor decision making by Government in relation to certain decisions taken during the course of the past decade. - A lack of appetite for the modernisation of the Department of Defence. - Excluding Defence Force personnel from joining a Union, which would have allowed them to participate in a collective bargaining process, this has further eroded trust and enthusiasm for the job. - The elimination of the 4th Western Brigade made no operational or financial sense in 2011 and it makes less sense today. This Brigade should be reinstated.

Policing of the waters around our nation, our borders and our airspace is a major task and it has to be done in a professional and comprehensive way. There are many threats to our welfare as a people, to our economy and to general society that must be tackled, and our Defence Forces are the only ones who can do this job. So, we rely heavily on, and depend on, the men and women who serve in the PDF.

However, retaining highly skilled Army, Naval Service and Air Corps personnel has been a major problem over the past ten years. The fundamental reason for this is simple; inadequate remuneration and poor conditions of service. In all fairness, it doesn’t come more simple than that, a fair wage for fair work.

It is therefore no surprise today that ships worth hundreds of millions of Euro are tied up port, unable to sail because adequate numbers of skilled personnel are simply not there. Our planes can’t fly. And, here in Athlone our Medical Helicopter has had it hours shaved back. These realities leave us vulnerable on so many levels. We should never have found ourselves in this situation, where highly trained men and women are looking for an exit strategy from the Defence Forces, rather than looking for career advancement and promotion within the organisation.

Yet because of a lack of planning and priority as a nation we find ourselves poorly prepared for the future and as a country pathetically exposed on so many levels. Today our security as a people and as a nation is compromised because our PDF has been compromised for the reasons I have given above.

There are solutions, a meaningful root and branch rebuilding plan is needed and a rebranding exercise is also required. The following in my view must happen for there to be progress:

- Root and branch modernisation of The Department of Defence - Much closer working relationships with the representative bodies and on a more formal and regular basis - Appointment of a full Minister for Defence - For the Minister of State at DoD to be given responsibility for Veteran’s Affairs & Welfare - Allow personnel to join a trade union to enable them to participate in collective bargaining - Enhanced remuneration, improved conditions and improved career opportunities for all members - Establish a working group made of all stake holders: Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure. This review committee of stakeholders to meet twice annually to constantly keep modernisation and organisation integrity to the fore. - A rebranding exercise is needed to make the Defence Forces an attractive career option for young ambitious Irish men and women. - When the strength in numbers is back at the required operational level again, the 4Th Western Brigade should be reinstated with Head Quarters re-established in Athlone once again.

In conclusion, I would urge the Government and the Minister with responsibility to act as soon as possible. It will cost money to put this right, but it is money that should have been spent years ago. Structures also need to change so there is no doubt that hard decisions will be required, but these are decisions that can wait no more. Our Defence Forces are regrettably a diminished force, and more importantly our men and women are crushed, morale is on the floor. Swift, considered and decisive action is needed.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my views.

Aengus O’Rourke, Councillor – , Mayor of Athlone/Moate Municipal District

March 8th 2021