DF Commission Report

Its the Commission that said the new Army HQ should be located in the center of the country. They didnt come up with that idea for local votes

If you built a new base there fo Army HQ is there then a need for Athlone & Galway?

Build it on or near the Curragh ….

Fair.

There is nearly an argument the DF should be in receipt of heritage grants given so much of their real estate is of the historic variety… for conservation and upkeep …

Ah sure, it’s not like there’s any global instability to worry about…

Custume would make a wonderful school in this growing town, or maybe a graduate school for the IT. It could be an hotel or a top class hostel type accommodation for people exploring Ireland on a budget, by bike or on foot. It could be an enterprise hub or a specialist health facility or private clinic. People could even pay to sleep in the Cold War government nuclear bunker!

It could be anything really, save for high security bespoke 21st Century standard land component Headquarters, which is what is needed.

In any case, to retain the buildings of historical importance would still mean that most the site could be sold off and/or opened up as new amenity and public realm space.

What do you believe is the government’s intention here? Do they not want any meaningful defence, even at current level, are they just incompetent or are there disagreements between government parties, departments? This crisis is not new, little seems to be happening, at least on the face of it.

The table of organisation of the Defence Forces going forward, has been decided.

There will be three components of equal status, with a separate Chief of Defence and his staff. There will be a larger special operations force across the Army and Navy and no doubt significant cooperation across the services, but the structure is essentially a settled argument.

As I said over on Twitter I think the NS is terminal at this stage, what needs to be done is too hard and too contentious. The gov won't give the needed budget to up tech etc pay and benefits to give the NS a hope in hell of being competitive to private industry. that would open up the PS unions wanting their slice of the cake.

So from a gov perspective better to let the NS wither to a point of complete inoperability, they can then turn to the country and say its gone to far to salvage in any economically viable way, not long after that some subsidiary of KBR or whomever will get a nice lengthy contract to run a service with crews from wherever.

The AC might survive slightly better if only and the army has the ceremonial duties, the horsy club and the bands the politicians like.

Would there need to be any regulations changed to allow civvy maintenance contractors  to serve on a naval ship?

I know the air corps used an american to fly the gulfsteam at one stage but that was unarmed so probally allowed

Yes and specifically I know that Martin. McGrath and Coveney are shaken by the Naval Service situation. Its not just the employment presence, there is great Community ownership of the NS tradition in Cork City and Harbour area. Two maybe three elections in 2024 have focused the minds.

However, and there is no getting around this, the only way to truly address pay deficiency, is to break into the public sector pay agreements and thats doomsday stuff for any centrist Government.

I guess it becomes which Doomsday is the lesser of two evils for them....

Because of the current analagous grading attached to the NS. And all public servants. And they are not linked to other seagoing services.

Fiddling with any one grade, any one allowance, in the public service pay schedule, is like ripples in the water when you cast a stone. You'll have everyone from lab assistants to Oireachtas stewards crying foul.

I'm not saying its right, but thats the way it is. And given that a) junior teachers and pre-reg nurses, to name but two, still can't get onto a single unified scale and b) the Government are trying to avoid pay driven inflation at all costs, I don't hold out much hope of them opening the coffers in any radical way to address recruitment and retention.

Which is not an optimistic situation.

Is there actually anyone in charge at the moment?