Originally posted by DeV
View Post
I hope the Defence Commission focuses not just on the Defence Force but also on the Department. The DoD should only focus on setting the Governments strategic policy direction into play and then following this up as advocates for the Defence Force as the State's Armed Commissioned Service to get as much money from the Government coffers to pay for it. They should not and in fact must not have any say in operational matters of the Defence Force. That Irish Times report last December (on the toxic relationship) is right. The DoD should not have ended up "commanding" the Defence Force. That is not how it is in pretty much all other western OECD countries.
It seems to me that the biggest enemy to the Irish Defence Force is not the Russians, or the Chinese or some mad arse group of nutters, but the very department that is administratively meant to serve and support it, the DoD.
I don't know this answer but some of you may do. How much due to Covid did the Irish Government pay for chartered jets last year during the global rush to cargo PPG and to repatriate or return stranded citizens or at risk families of diplomatic staff?
Many months ago Leo said that that Ireland needed a decent sized government jet because of things like Covid and other emergency events that happen (beyond the cushy pen pusher world of the Dublin Civil service.) What has the DoD done to secure such a state asset when at the moment you could pick up a good condition used Airbus or Boeing for less than a nice place with sea views in Dalkey?
Comment