DF Commission Report

My point is, we haven't even reached the realm of plans.

To have a plan, you have to adopt a policy, maybe assign a scoping budget.

Plan A doesn't arise.

The DoD have a plan its get to 31st December 2026.

It’s reality.

Everything has been shifted right by at least another two years before contracts are even considered let alone signed off on, which means well into the next government before any delivery (assuming a, the government lasts till then and b the next government doesn’t have any of our various Tankie left as members). Hell even the “national maritime strategy” that was good to go before Christmas has now been kicked 2 years (or in reality into the same category of “**** off couldn’t be arsed, and nobody cares” that our National Security Strategy disappeared into years ago), but yeah things are going to be progressed…

Bullsh!t.

The Commissions report came at the wrong time with the wrong answers and everything since then has been a deliberate policy of stalling till they can abandon it, without getting called on it from Brussels.

in terms of the improvements in T&Cs and Recruitment and Retention, while it’s all to be welcomed, some more reality:

First, those are Current Spending areas, not Capital Spending, and one shouldn’t pull from the other, if the Department won’t accept that then nothing has changed

Second, as evidenced in the last week, the Department hasn’t changed at all in terms of culture as seen by yet another court case for pay related issues, so the “valuing people” bit doesn’t hold up.

Third, I’ve long argued that the base improvements could have been an easy and visible “low fruit” for the department yet it’s still being half arsed, I note the suggestion by the Journal about Haulbowline didn’t play out, let me guess we have to wait until the Maritime Strategy? How much you want to bet that it ran the risk of giving the “wrong” answers like the Commission so that’s why it’s been canned?

In relation to the Capital spend, there’s also this reality, the funding wasn’t enough in the first place, but guess what, even if they did actually intend to buy stuff after 2028, it’s going to be even more expensive, meaning even less bought if they ever intended to do so in the first place.

He's spot on.

I think it was more a soundbite someone in DoD through out to pretend they are looking at out of the box ideas. The Navy seam to be getting there **** together by all accounts with numbers increasing and more ships heading back to sea.

In the times today they have an Article about the navy hiring more contractors to carry out maintaince like its a bad thing. In the same article they mention most normal navys do this anyway. The Finns already do serving on the P60s. You dont see AGS doing services anymore on there fleet.

If the state want to move the commission report on and deliver they should hire in some hard nosed PMs from the Civils Industry

From memory we do offer shorter periods for "high value/need" speciality areas don't we? Knocking a few years off the residency rule?

Yes, there's 3 year contracts for "direct entry" officers. But people with those qualifications won't have trouble getting a working visa for jobs that are a lot less hassle than the Defence Forces.

I just find it difficult to believe there's many highly qualified people abroad desperate specifically for Irish citizenship but can't get a working visa to move here, or who can yet feel waiting 5 years for citizenship is too long, and who are willing to serve for several years in the Defence Forces so that they can get citizenship in 3 years.

But if they're already legally resident in Ireland, they're on their way to citizenship. The clock has already started ticking towards 5 years of residence and hence citizenship. What benefit is it to them to spend that 5 years in the DF instead of any other job?

Also considering the number of asylum seekers who "lose" their identification and documentation upon arrival, vast numbers of them won't pass background security checks unless we vastly lower the level of scrutiny.

Citizenship for service only works if there's a large cohort in Ireland who have difficulty getting citizenship and will see the DF as the best way to achieve it. This cohort doesn't exist. Simply being in Ireland legally means you're on the way to citizenship, and if you're here illegally you can't join the DF anyway.

Fair enough. I'd be curious to meet the person who'd rather serve in the DF for 5 years than fill out a naturalisation form and pay €175 though.

It's 4.5 year for critical works to apply for citizenship. That's just to apply mind

Conditions of citizenship? Or service in the DF?

Because neither are changed without major justification, and catering for the hypothetical cohort of legally resident non-citizens who are so desperately impatient for Irish citizenship that they are willing to serve in the DF for 5 years in order to shorten the wait time is not a good justification.

I'm not suggesting that service in the DF would shorten the wait time.

I'm suggesting that any and all permanent residency and citizenship be conditional on completing 5 years in the DF and that no times be shortened.

It would be even funnier if it wasn't so sad.