Micheál Martin encourages employers to support Defence Forces reserves

Tánaiste Micheál Martin, speaks to a member of the armed forces during the launch of the Reserve Defence Forces Regeneration and Development Plan at Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin. Picture: Niall CarsonPA

The Tánaiste has encouraged employers to support those who are reserves in the Defence Forces.

Micheál Martin launched the Regeneration and Development Plan for the Defence Force reserves in Cathal Brugha Barracks on Wednesday.

He said revitalising the reserves was “a vital part” of the transformation of the Defence Forces.

It is truly a win-win for everyone in terms of the mutual benefits for all

Emphasising the benefits of an employee being a reserve, Mr Martin said: “Throughout their careers in the Defence Forces, each member of the reserve will learn critical skillsets in leadership, management, task-orientated focus, working under pressure, teamwork, physical endurance and mental agility.

“The State, RDF members, and employers all stand to gain from reserve membership. It is truly a win-win for everyone in terms of the mutual benefits for all,” he said.

“We made very good progress with the establishment of the office of the Reserve Defence Forces.

“An additional 250 will be recruited, I think, this year, which will bring overall strength to about 1,600 and we want to go from strength-to-strength, year-on year on.

“The capacity is now there within the Defence Forces to prioritise it, to have a singular focus on the Defence Forces itself and perhaps in previous times lacked that sort of central capacity to maintain the focus on momentum around recruitment, retention, and also just development and evolution of the role of a Reserve Defence Forces.”

Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, said the “vision” was for the Irish military to be an “agile and fit-for-purpose” force by 2030.

Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, speaks to media during the launch of the Reserve Defence Forces Regeneration and Development Plan (Niall Carson/PA)

The Tánaiste was also asked about protests in Coolock in recent days which erupted in response to plans to open accommodation for asylum seekers, which saw people clash with gardaí.

Mr Martin said political instability and authoritarian regimes has led to an increase in people seeking safe haven in countries like Ireland, and described attacks on gardaí as “an attack on democracy”.

“We have tripled the number of asylum seekers coming in that were coming in in 2019. When you look at the overall context, it’s groundhog day in one or two locations, but the vast majority of locations society has accommodated and absorbed.”

Mr Martin has said although people may not agree with asylum seeker accommodation in all locations, “we haven’t had the violence that we’ve seen in some locations”.

“What happened in Coolock is wrong. There’s nothing wrong with legitimate protest and communities are entitled to protest, and we do need to engage with communities. But we have been very clear, there can be no room for attacking members of An Garda Siochana.

“That is an attack on the State, it is an attack on society and democracy and all of us. And we have to be very clear on that.”