Defence Forces
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-07
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Helen McEntee (FG), Meath East

We always need to do more in terms of retention. However, the fact that the numbers leaving was at a ten-year low is a positive sign. Notwithstanding that, as regards any measures brought to me by the unions, all of which I met in the first part of this year, I have given a commitment to actively work with the unions and overcome any challenges, particularly when it comes to overtime or working on bank holidays. That was raised recently and I also discussed it during oral questions recently. We are working through that.
More broadly, if we want to get our numbers to where they need to be, we need to make sure we look not only at recruitment to the Defence Forces but also at civilianisation more broadly. That is the path we have taken with An Garda Síochána where it has obviously improved numbers. Everyone brings something different and significant to the roles as well. A new workforce plan is being developed by the Defence Forces, working with my Department, and I hope to be able to present that in the coming weeks and months. That will set out the overall figures and also what we need within those figures, how we get to those figures and, importantly, how we increase the number of civilians we have working within the Defence Forces as well. There is a greater need and role for civilians if we are to achieve the overall numbers.
It comes down to making sure that we have a continued focus on investment in the critical infrastructure and resources that our Defence Forces use and need. It is about making sure, through public sector pay agreements, local bargaining and other negotiating options, that our Defence Forces benefit in the same way everybody else does. I stress again that it is very welcome our members are now, through the unions, around the table and part of the discussions. Any public sector pay agreement is about making sure that as issues emerge, we respond to them and that, more broadly, we highlight the positive work our Defence Forces do and the contribution they make, not just home but abroad.
We discussed the triple lock earlier. The first thing that comes to everybody's mind is the work we have done in Lebanon and the unbelievable contribution our Defence Forces have made in that regard. We need to highlight that work and make sure it is seen as a worthwhile career. The Defence Forces are doing extremely meaningful work in very challenging and difficult circumstances.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:46+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-07