Defence Forces – decades of neglect

Sir, – Your editorial “The Irish Times view on the energy agreements between Ireland and the UK: important connections” (September 13th) highlights the growing importance of such arrangements and our increasing dependence upon them.

With such arrangements comes responsibility to protect, monitor and secure infrastructure put in place to serve our growing economy.

Unfortunately, with a Naval Service on the point of collapse, with the current ability to put one or occasionally two vessels to sea, we are in no position to monitor or protect such infrastructure. Decades of neglect and underinvestment in defence are now clear to see with every unit of the Defence Forces under-strength.

Given the importance of power and data connections to the economy, you would expect Government to act and address the crisis in the Defence Forces but to date no meaningful intervention has been forthcoming. It highlights clearly the importance, or lack of, and value put by Government on defence, security, and most importantly members of the Defence Forces. Time is running out for the Naval Service and the Defence Forces. When will Minister for Defence Micheál Martin and the Government decide to intervene? – Yours, etc,