(Cavan): When introducing his Estimate, the Minister stated in so many words that he was adopting the long statement of his predecessor in office, that he was prepared to leave it at that and that if it was desired, he would repeat his predecessor's statement. I gathered that he was completely satisfied with the state in which he found the Department of Defence and that he did not find it necessary to depart from the policy of his predecessor. That is a pity because I do not think that the country in general is satisfied with the Department of Defence. It is a Department which could be improved by a considerable amount of fresh thinking and a fresh approach.
The Minister's predecessor in introducing the Estimate paid tribute to our Defence Forces who served in the Congo and in Cyprus. I wish to join in the tributes paid to those men and to say how much their sacrifices and services overseas have been appreciated by the people. However, it is not sufficient that it should be left at that. The services of these men overseas, in some cases outstandingly meritorious service, exceptional gallantry, should be rewarded in some tangible way.
I understand no living Irish soldier who served in the Congo has been rewarded for exceptional bravery by way of promotion, special medal decoration or in any other way. I further understand that a commission set up in 1962, presided over by Colonel Coogan, inquired into the Congo service and made recommendations. Has the Minister acted on those recommendations or has he given consideration to the reports submitted to him? I am quite well aware that every Irish soldier who served in the United Nations Forces for 90 days is given a medal. I am also aware that there is a roll of honour in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Arbour Hill, where the names of members who died while serving in the Congo are inscribed. I am also aware that a special medal for exceptional meritorious service has been awarded to one soldier who sacrificed his life to save that of another, but I think some tangible recognition should be given to living soldiers, NCOs and men, who displayed exceptional bravery in the Congo.
If we decide to do this, we will not be unique. It is a fact that the Governments of Sweden and India have recognised and have rewarded exceptional meritorious service and exceptional bravery on the part of their soldiers serving in the Congo. It is a fact that some of our officers, NCOs and men who have served in the Congo, who came back here, left the Army shortly afterwards. That possibly would not happen if they had been given promotion in recognition of bravery or if they had been recognised in some other way. I hope, therefore, the Minister will look into this suggestion and that he will in particular give serious consideration to the recommendation of the Coogan Commission.
Before leaving this question of service with the UN, I propose to mention the cost of that service. The overseas cost of service in the Congo was discharged by the UN. I know from statements made in the House and elsewhere that the entire cost of the Cyprus forces—sending men there, keeping them there, equipping them and providing them with transport—is being borne by the people of this country without any contribution from the UN or anybody else. The time has come when we should seriously consider whether we are being too generous in undertaking this service, this obligation, at considerable expense to ourselves.
This year the Estimate provides for between £500,000 and £750,000 to cover the cost of sending those men to Cyprus, of keeping them there and of equipping them. My opinion is that we have more than discharged our obligations to the preservation of world peace by making available men without being asked to do so at our own expense. Speaking in round figures, we are responsible for and have provided either one-sixth or one-seventh of the total peace-preserving force in Cyprus. I also understand there is a substantial proportion of our entire armed forces —something between one-sixth and one-eighth—serving there. It is to the credit of this small country that we should play our part, indeed more than our part, in the preservation of peace in these countries but it is going beyond what can reasonably be expected of us that we should be at a substantial loss in doing so.
I understand that, the UN not being in a position to put up the necessary finances, several countries such as Britain, France and the US. are prepared to discharge the costs of these peace-preserving forces in Cyprus. I should like the Minister to tell us about this when he is replying. Indeed what I have just said was applicable when this Estimate was first introduced: I thought even at that stage this country should not be forking out millions of pounds of our resources. If that were true then, it is much truer now, having heard the Taoiseach's speech on the state of the economy last week, on the necessity for tightening our belts, for spending money only on essentials.
Do not take me for one moment as saying that the sending of our soldiers to the Congo or Cyprus is not a very worthy and laudable project. It is indeed. It adds immensely to the prestige of the country that we should have done so, but I say that when the money to cover the expense involved is available from an outside source in an honourable way, it should be accepted. I trust, therefore, the Minister will look into that aspect of our overseas service and will take it up with the Government. I trust the Government will see fit to accept recoupment of the outlay we have incurred.
I should like to say a word in a general way about the various barracks and the land attached to them in and around Dublin city. When these barracks were built, it was necessary that they be located in and around the capital city of the country because transport was slow and if an emergency arose the troops would be primarily required in and around the capital city. That state of affairs has changed. Transportation and the movement of troops from one end of this island to another can be effected very quickly now. Therefore, the time has come when we should consider the decentralisation of the troops and barracks in Dublin city. I believe that there are six barracks in and around Dublin city with about 154 acres of land attached to them. Most of these buildings are old and are probably not very well suited for housing soldiers in up-to-date conditions in this modern age. We could, by the sale of some of these buildings, attend to two things at the same time. We could provide building space where industrial development in and around the city of Dublin could take place. We could transfer the troops outside the city even a considerable distance to more suitable buildings.
At Question Time last week the Naval Service came up for mention. I gathered from the Minister's reply to a question that since the introduction of the Estimate, and since he assumed office as Minister for Defence, he has been reconsidering the position of the Naval Service. Deputy Booth, when he spoke on this Estimate in March last, said our Naval Service is a joke at the present time. We should face up to that and ensure that the position is improved.
The three-mile fishing limit has been extended to six miles by the Maritime Jurisdiction (Amendment) Act, 1964, and within the foreseeable future the fishing limit will be extended to twelve miles. As I understand it, the entire fleet, if one might be pardoned for calling it so, in regard to fishery protection along the coast consists of three corvettes. These corvettes were built for the British in 1940-1941. They saw service during the war and we bought them, I understand, in 1947, or thereabouts. The best information I could get on the subject tells me that these vessels are entirely unsuitable for fishery protection work at the moment. I am told they are completely unsuitable because of their age and because they are what is known as deep drift vessels which cannot get into many of our harbours. They are slow and require a large crew.
The Minister's predecessor, when introducing his Estimates, said he found it extremely difficult to maintain the personnel in the Naval Service. If my information is correct, that is not any wonder, I am told the corvettes in which these men are asked to serve are uncomfortable vessels. They require a comparatively large crew and, indeed, they are so uncomfortable that they are bound to drive men out of the service. From a practical point of view, the speed of trawlers which are likely to infringe our fishing rights, I am told, has been increased to 15 knots and they can trawl at 10 knots. It is a fact that the speed of these corvettes is inadequate to pursue or arrest any of these trawlers which can trawl at ten knots.
We should not be extending our exclusive fishing limits to six miles and then 12 miles unless we are prepared to provide suitable vessels to enforce our exclusive rights in these limits. I am told that such vessels are available and can be procured. Again, the Minister should look into this aspect of his Department and see to it that our exclusive fishing rights are protected and ensure that such corvettes and other types of vessels as are necessary, are procured and are maintained.
I do not want to say a lot on pensions because there are other speakers to come after me who will deal with that subject. In his few short remarks on the previous day the Minister said that the question of the abatement of Defence Force pensions where the recipients are in employment if remunerated from public funds would come up for consideration. We note that since the Dáil was elected, the Pensions Abatement Bill was introduced and, by virtue of that, civil servants who leave the service to take up other State or semi-State employment will not have their pensions abated.
I am glad to note that the Minister proposes doing something about this matter so far as the Army personnel are concerned. I would like the Minister now to give us an assurance that the Army personnel will be treated at least as generously as Civil Service personnel have been treated under the Bill which has gone through the House.
