Our Defence Forces are key to our democracy and security. We are an island nation and therefore our naval services in particular are important for patrolling and protecting our seas, resources and our interests. The Navy is in a crisis of morale and numbers and it lacks confidence about its future. The inability to retain staff is central to that crisis. Able sea personnel is now at 50% strength, mechanics are at 46% strength, communications operatives are at 50% strength and the diving section is at 33% strength. Alarmingly the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission shows that a significant number of personnel in both the specialist and generalist areas will leave, the majority within two years, with 63% of specialists planning to leave the general Defence Forces.

Flag Officer Commanding, Commodore Michael Malone, has confirmed the loss of 450 crew over the last five years has placed an extraordinary burden on those who remain, so that all ships are at reduced manning levels but that they docked two ships in a commitment to valuing the welfare and safety of personnel.

The Government has been in denial about this crisis for too long. Repeated spin from the Minister of State and the Government has attempted to camouflage the crisis. The most recent manifestation of this was the efforts by the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, to undermine Commodore Malone's communications to his staff by claiming that the two ships were docked due to maintenance and not crew shortages. The Taoiseach tried to rescue the Minister of State and sounded a bit like President Trump when he said that two opposites were actually the same thing. The Taoiseach said that rather than spreading the crews over seven ships they were going to fully staff and equip five. Speaking at Haulbowline, the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, said that it was inaccurate reporting but I understand he was quite adamant with the media at the time and trenchantly argued this was inaccurate reporting. The Taoiseach has endeavoured to rescue him from his plight. Commodore Malone was very clear when he said: "I have taken the decision the Naval Service now needs to cut our cloth to measure and take an operational pause to allow us to consolidate and regenerate."

The Minister of State's behaviour has angered the Naval community. Retired personnel are incensed, as is evident from today's Irish Examiner. To be frank, the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, does not inspire confidence in them. The military community questions his competence and authority within the Government. This crisis has been identified for some time but effective intervention measures were not taken by the Minister of State. This morning, only three ships are out at sea. The remaining are in dock. I understand the LÉ Róisín is on a mid-life extension programme, which is a wonderful phrase.

Does the Taoiseach have confidence in Deputy Kehoe as our Minister of State in the Department of Defence? Why did the Minister of State contradict Commodore Malone and undermine the media reports so trenchantly? Does the Taoiseach accept that our naval strength is sub optimal for an island nation and attempts to deny that only exacerbate the problem?

I have absolute, total and full confidence in Deputy Kehoe as Minister with responsibility for defence. He has held the post for seven years, initially as Minister of State and more recently as Minister with responsibility for Defence. Nobody in this House knows more about military matters or understands defence given his seven years experience.

Stop.

Stop sneering.

Let us look at a few of the things that have been done in the last three, four or five years since he has held the post. First recruitment, which had been paused by the previous Government, was resumed, and second, there has been major investment in the Defence Forces, with five new vessels and the most modern fleet ever. There has been investment in aircraft with a new fisheries protection aircraft on order, there is new equipment and our barracks have been consolidated and are being invested in again and upgraded. There has been an expansion of UN missions overseas and also EU missions, including the EU training mission in Mali. We have also participated in Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean and a decision was taken recently to deploy the Army Ranger Wing in Mali under the MINUSMA programme. In recent years, under the Minister of State's stewardship, we have seen investment in our fleet, aircraft, equipment, Defence Forces and their barracks and an expansion of operations overseas, particularly with the UN and the EU, as well as the resumption of recruitment.

Everyone in government, including the Minister, Deputy Kehoe, acknowledges that we have a real and severe challenge when it comes to recruitment and retention in our Defence Forces. It is not unique to the Defence Forces. At a time of full employment when there are so many opportunities in the private sector, we are struggling to recruit in many parts of the public sector, as are many parts of the private sector. What are we doing about it? We have a pay deal with the public service which also applies to members of the Defence Forces. It involves full pay restoration for people earning €70,000 or less, which is being phased in currently and which will be completed by next year. In addition, something which the Minister of State fought for, the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission, from which the Deputy quoted, has made recommendations to improve allowances for members of the Defence Forces. The Government has accepted those recommendations in full and we are in the process of implementing them. It does not stop there. The next step is a review of tech pay, recognising that there are people in the Defence Forces with particular skills which are very valuable and sought after in the private sector. We need to improve pay for those in tech and specialist grades. That is the third step which is being taken.

The Taoiseach did not answer the question of why the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, contradicted Commodore Malone and undermined him to those under his command and questioned what he had said, and did so trenchantly with the media and denied that ships were docked because of crew shortages, which they were. That is the only reason. I do not know from whom the Taoiseach is getting his information. The rest of the Members of the House know from talking to people, to families of those who work in the Army, Navy and Air Corps and from retired personnel, how angry they are at the running down of our Defence Forces. That is the recurring refrain from those who love and value our Defence Forces, those who have served and the military families whose fathers, and fathers before them, operated in the Army. Go to those communities, Taoiseach. They have never witnessed what they perceive to be the neglect of a Government towards them.

The Taoiseach can say all he has just said but it does not equate with their experience and how they see it. Morale has never been so low in our Defence Forces. Numbers have never been so low. That is a fact. The Army, Naval Service and Air Corps have never been so under strength. More alarmingly, specialists in all three arms are dangerously low, from Army bomb disposal, to cybersecurity, to communications specialists and across the board. The intervention of the pay commission is very belated with regard to the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe. I note the Taoiseach has said he has absolute and total confidence in the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe. I suspect that not too many out there in the military community, be they serving members or retired members, who value it so much, would share his sentiments in this regard.

In answer to the Deputy's question I am informed by the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, that he was briefed in Haulbowline last Friday and the remarks he made to the media reflect the briefing he was given in Haulbowline with officials and senior Naval Service staff present. In terms of the actions that are being taken, let me go through them again.

We do not need to hear them.

Three major actions are under way to improve terms and conditions in our Defence Forces. First, the public sector pay deal means full pay restoration for all Defence Forces staff earning less than €70,000 by next year. This is already being phased in. Second is a €10 million package of improvements in allowances, as recommended by the Public Sector Pay Commission. This has been accepted by the Government. The third step is the review of tech pay and specialist pay, recognising these are people with really valuable skills who we need in our Defence Forces but who are sought after by a private sector that is booming. We need to improve their pay and terms and conditions. This is the third step that has now commenced.