I asked the Minister to consider the question of an extension of annual leave for NCOs and men. I feel also that consideration should be given to the matter of good conduct pay. At the moment, the private soldier who reaches the maximum pay after ten years has no incentive to soldier on. Good conduct pay would give him that incentive. It would be good for his morale and for the Army in general. I suggest also that the Minister reconsider the question of grade pay. Its abolition was disastrous and there are good grounds for its reintroduction. It would lead to more efficiency in these groups. I have particularly in mind in this respect Army drivers, who do a substantial amount of extra duty, particularly during weekends in connection with the FCA. They are responsible for the transport of important groups of between 30 and 40 men and their services are worth something more than those of ordinary soldiers.
For the purpose of children's allowances, an officer's child who is receiving full-time education qualifies up to the age of 21 years but in the case of an NCO or a man, it ceases when a boy is 16 or a girl 18 years. Apparently, according to the framers of this scheme, the NCO and man were not supposed to have children educated at university level. I submit that where the child of an NCO or man is receiving full-time education at university level, the qualification for children's allowances should extend to the age of 21. I feel sure the Minister is in sympathy with this suggestion. After all, the NCO and man deserve all the assistance they can get to educate their children.
On the question of suggestions for betterment, the NCO and man are not heeded at all by those in authority. It would cost nothing to consider the suggestions emanating from the lower ranks—to have them compiled and analysed and, in many cases, implemented. NCOs and many private soldiers are intelligent and are capable of offering suggestions which could be implemented for the good of the Army in general. It is a fact that all the committees sitting in the Army are composed entirely of officers, to the exclusion of the lower ranks.
The Minister must give serious new consideration to the question of married quarters. It is a matter of great importance which must be tackled with courage and understanding. The present military quarters are completely undesirable and absolutely out of date. Married quarters should be built outside the barracks. I believe new married quarters are desirable and essential in Dublin. The money for this should not come from the Defence Vote but from the capital Budget. Immediate consideration should be given to the question of providing married quarters outside the barracks. I know one married quarters where a civil servant, whose brother had a house, is living. The brother sold the house and went back to the married quarters. There are young soldiers living in one or two rooms in this city. They are calling for proper accommodation. These young soldiers who, through no fault of their own, have very bad living accommodation, should receive consideration. This matter should be tackled at the earliest possible moment. Some of the people who are at present in married quarters have given no service to the country at all.
The occupants of married quarters in Arbour Hill Barracks need protection from people living in flats in the vicinity. The married quarters are being damaged by some of those people. The people living in the married quarters have to pay for the damage done, whether it is broken windows, damage to gutters or any other damage. There should be some sort of control exercised over the people living in the flats adjacent to the married quarters. The people living in the married quarters should get some sort of protection.
Deputy Fitzpatrick is quite right when he indicates that there should be a new approach to military stations, particularly the two major barracks of Cathal Brugha and Collins in Dublin. Heating in those barracks is non-existent as are services. There is great need for reconstruction, proper billets and suitable accommodation for the men who live in those barracks. They come from good homes and they should be given proper accommodation.
The military barracks in Templemore was given over to the police force and was completely renovated. The people who serve in the armed forces are serving the nation honourably and they need proper accommodation. They need new billet accommodation. The question of protection from fall-out which will be necessary is a must and will come up for consideration in the future. Deputy Fitzpatrick has already stated that the amount that would be procured from the sale of these barracks would be adequate to build a new barracks on the outer perimeter of the city.
I would like to say a word about the apprenticeship school at Naas. This is something which should be encouraged but, unfortunately, there are people in the area adjacent to the school who are enticing young men out of it by giving them the necessary finance to buy them out of the Army. The money is repaid over a period of three or four years. These are bonded men and this is a very undesirable situation. I feel that the cost of buying oneself out after having been trained in the apprenticeship school, before the nine years' service has been completed, should be reconsidered.
The Naval Service is the joke of the century. The material and the ships available are not adequate to meet the present day situation. I believe this matter will have to get early consideration. The present type of ship, the corvette, is not at all suitable. We need a dual purpose ship, something small with the necessary firing power. That kind of ship will give proper protection to our fishing fleet. They should also be equipped with the necessary technical aids which can be operated by both civilian or naval personnel. These vessels could inform our fishing fleet of the shoal movements, etc. It is not a defensive monster we want but something which will protect our fishermen and give them necessary information. The design of our ships will need to be improved to meet the new situation, particularly in regard to the 12 mile limit. There may be difficulties in the operation of these matters but I do not believe they are insurmountable. We should be able, in time, to produce something which will meet our requirements.
I would also ask the Minister to consider the question of medical facilities for the wives and children of NCOs and men. Those people get facilities while they are in hospital but they are on their own when they come out. They should certainly get some consideration when they come out of hospital.
With regard to the question of the gratuity on retirement, which was mentioned by Deputy Tully, this is an absolute necessity. When a man reaches the end of the road he gets 21 days pre-discharge leave. This, to my mind, is another joke. If the man obtains employment in CIE he can avail of this leave to set himself up in civilian life, as was indicated during the introduction of this scheme. If he gets a job in the barracks as a civilian, he cannot obtain resettlement leave. That is necessary in order to help him to resettle himself during this vital period. There should be no restriction. Whether a man gets work in the barracks, CIE or anywhere else he should be given the facility. No matter where the person gets work outside he should get the same facilities. It is wrong that any restriction should be placed on the person who gets civilian employment in a barracks. That is not the case in regard to officers. It affects only NCOs and men. The lower ranks are trampled on. I feel a gratuity on retirement helps a man to get over many of the problems that arise on pre-discharge.
I would like to talk about the Reserve. Those who were in the Reserve service from 1927 to 1938 who do one month annual training get 12 guineas. Those who were there immediately after the reorganisation of the Reserve get £9. They get £5 after training and £4 in December. There are very many reservists in Britain who would like to do reserve training but they cannot afford to come home. Those people get a warrant from Dublin Port or the nearest port to their home military station. The question of travelling from Liverpool, Birmingham or London, or wherever they may be living, is not taken into consideration at the moment. That matter should be taken into consideration if we are in earnest about this matter, if we wish to have an effective Reserve and if we want to keep it.
The question of annual grants and promotion within the Reserve for NCOs and men should get some consideration from the Minister. There were 20 commissioned from the ranks in 1962. The concession those people got is approximately eight months' service. For pension purposes the matter was adjusted. Many of them have served over 21 years. Some of them have served 22 or 23 years. It was indicated during the Emergency that the NCOs were the backbone of the Army. They guided the inflow of the young officers into the Army at that time. They were good men and have often been referred to as the backbone of the Army. Those men were promoted because of necessity. We now find that a young officer who came into the Army four years ago from the College with a commission, and is now 23 or 24 years of age, is receiving pay greater than that of the man who was serving before he was born and who is now commissioned. The Minister should reconsider the situation and at least give them something that will enable them to reach the maximum on the captain's limit on retirement. In the case of a sergeant-major commissioned with this group, he would be receiving £50 in excess of his pay if he remained an NCO. There is much scope in this question, and there are so many factors involved that the fullest consideration should be given to it.
In the case of officers, a retiring age of 54 or 56, or whatever it is, is too early. I know there are difficulties in regard to promotion, but nevertheless they are in an unfortunate situation in relation to placement and resettlement. These men come out of the Army at the time when they are rearing their families and need assistance, without guidance or resettlement. The question of resettlement must be tackled by the Department. We are told that there is no problem, but I know there is a problem. Resettlement is a personal and a human problem. I have been dealing with the resettlement of ex-servicemen for 12 years and I know their problems, their needs and their wants.
There is need for an advisory service to tell the men that when they reach a certain age, they will probably be in married quarters and will not be in a position to get a loan or a grant if they do not make arrangements now. This advisory service should deal with career planning, education, housing and other matters. At the moment when a private soldier or an NCO is released from the service, he should have something in excess of a builder's labourer, but when he reaches the labour market, he is ill equipped. Where do we find these people? They are the petrol pump attendants throughout the country. We must have career planning. At the moment they have no technical assistance, and when they reach the labour market, they are in a very poor position indeed.
We know that the local authority regulation is that a man is old when he is 40, and there is nothing for him but the petrol pumps. That day is now gone, and the resettlement of our discharged personnel should be tackled in a realistic manner. We have heard talk of a manpower authority in connection with other sectors, and there is no reason why our soldiers could not be dealt with in the same way.
Disabled ex-servicemen are entitled to very special consideration. The occupational hazards of a soldier's life are high. We have seen in the Congo and elsewhere that they can receive injuries with long-term effects which debar them from gainful employment. I should like to pay a tribute to the ABF and the Organisation of National ex-Servicemen and other voluntary organisations for the help they have given. I should also like to pay a tribute to the individuals and employers who seek to employ disabled ex-servicemen in their concerns. There is much more I should like to say but I am conscious of the time squeeze which is on at the moment.