As there is increasing focus on military neutrality, my question is on our position and involvement on peacekeeping missions and our establishment numbers, mandate and responsibilities to these missions. I believe in active neutrality, which means taking active participation in these missions. What impact are the serious challenges around pay and retention having on our capability to honour our commitments to these missions?

We have a very proud tradition of peacekeeping missions around the world, as the Minister noted. Many members of the Defence Forces have volunteered to participate efficiently and effectively in these missions. However, it has become increasingly challenging. Last year, RACO identified key challenges on members of the Defence Forces to volunteer for these missions. They have highlighted this with the Minister and nationally. This has led to a serious problem where many members of the Defence Forces, because of the …

I thank the Minister. I appreciate that but I asked him specifically about the issue of mandatory selection. I asked him recently via a parliamentary question for the number of personnel of all ranks who have been mandatorily selected, those who have appealed the decision and the number of cases that have been upheld. I find it astonishing that information is not looked at or held within the Department in order that it might analyse the key challenges within the Defence Forces. I find that absolutely astonishing. I…

I ask the Minister about the many boarded-up houses in the Curragh Camp that were formally used as married quarters. What is the plan for the use of those houses? What is the plan to bring them back into use? Have any conversations taken place about changing the policy or indeed, have any taken place with Kildare County Council with a view to making the houses available to deal with the housing crisis we are experiencing?

It is absolutely scandalous that in the midst of a housing crisis, any house should be left boarded up and lying vacant. This is especially true when we are dealing with, I believe, between 50 and 60 houses in the Curragh. Many of them have now been lying vacant for 30 years. That is a scandal in its own right. To hear there are absolutely no plans to look at bringing these back into use, either within the Department to be used for members of the Defence Forces or indeed by the local authority, is another scandal. …

The Minister stated that 38 houses were occupied, but his plan is to get everyone out of them and make them derelict as well. He has not answered the question as to how many houses are lying in a state of dereliction. Although we are focusing on the Curragh, I am conscious of the fact that married quarters are being closed down across the State, which means that hundreds of units that were formerly used for housing may be lying vacant now. That there is no plan whatsoever to bring them back into usage is shameful. …

There is a lot of focus here on neutrality and what neutrality means to people. This comes on the back of the horrendous actions in Ukraine. This report is also being used to further that political conversation. The underinvestment in our Defence Forces by successive governments, including this Government, has eroded what Ireland is supposed to be, which is militarily neutral. I would call out not just the Russians for using our waters but also the British, and the Americans for using Shannon Airport. If Ireland is…

They are using our airspace.

I never raised funds anywhere.

I never raised funds anywhere. The Deputy needs to withdraw that comment.

The Deputy has made an accusation.

The Deputy is accusing the military industry of funding my account.

The Deputy said my account.

That is just false as well. The Deputy is talking rubbish.

I asked a question. Can I come back on that?

I ask the question on the implementation of this report because it needs to be a pivot point in the funding of our Defence Forces to stop the haemorrhaging of members from them. Implementation will be key, which needs a very strong implementation body. The independence of the chair to be appointed to that body will also be key, and critical to that body are the representative organisations such as PDFORRA, RACO and the Reserve Defence Force representative body, so that their voices are heard and are able to be arti…

I am sharing time with Deputies McDonald and Mac Lochlainn. When Amnesty International or any of the organisations that labelled the actions of Israel as apartheid they are talking about a crime against humanity. The UN Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid states that practices and policies of racial discrimination and segregation such as those employed by the Israeli state against Palestinians are crimes that violate the principles of international law and the Charter of the Unite…

Today, as they have been for the last week, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine as an aggressive, brutal invasion of their territory takes place and the missiles continue to fall. From the outset, I completely and utterly condemn the actions by the Russian Federation. I want to send a message of solidarity to the many Ukrainian people who have come to Ireland to find a new home. We share their pain at what is happening in their homeland. Hour by hour, we have witnessed incredible courage and sac…

We absolutely can.

It is called leadership, Minister.