Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Costello is right. It is a big tome and it took me a long time to plough through it. I do not necessarily accept all the conclusions in the report. We do not have time to engage in a long debate on its intricate details, but I note that the situation seems to have worsened somewhat in recent times. I accept Deputy Costello's point that PDFORRA and the Naval Service are of the view that this requires ministerial involvement. That is why I decided to get involved personally. I called a meeting between the relevant army officers, PDFORRA and myself on 19 September. We set up a group comprising representatives from PDFORRA and the Naval Service as well as the deputy chief of staff on the support side. I have asked them to try to solve this problem. I will keep the situation monitored and I have told them to come back to me with a solution by January. I will sit down with them again in January, at the very latest.

From my discussions with the deputy chief of staff and the relevant officials in the Naval Service, together with the recruitment campaign that is underway at present within the service, I am reasonably confident that we will be able to solve this issue. As I said, I have taken personal charge of it because I realise it requires ministerial involvement and I am monitoring the situation. My approach is hands-on in this matter.

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