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SEVENTY-SEVEN MEMBERS of the Defence Forces were commissioned at a ceremony at Dublin Castle today.
The commissioning of the 94th Cadet Class represents the single biggest intake of cadets since the foundation of the State.
Seventeen members of the class are women – the largest number ever to be commissioned from one class.
Nine of the 77 cadets commissioned are from the Armed Forces of Malta.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Defence Minister Paul Kehoe were at the event, which was the first time a commissioning ceremony was held at a location outside of the Defence Forces Training Centre at the Curragh Camp in Co Kildare.
Óglaigh na hÉireann / Twitter
Óglaigh na hÉireann / Twitter / Twitter
In his address, Varadkar said the Defence Forces “perform vital functions in our society”, adding that Ireland is committed to “advancing the cause of international peace and security”.
Óglaigh na hÉireann / Twitter
Óglaigh na hÉireann / Twitter / Twitter
He noted that, through the country’s work with the United Nations over the last 60 years, Irish men and women “have fought and died for the cause of peace and in the service of others”.
Our Defence Forces have stood up to violent extremists, freed hostages, rescued nearly 18,000 people in the Mediterranean and tragically they have seen hundreds drown and recovered scores of bodies.
Varadkar added that being a member of the Defence Forces is “an enormous responsibility”, and praised the new cadets’ “courage and commitment”.
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Will Vradkar and his Minister for health take one for the team and resign over the Children’s hospital fiasco or will they see it through to the bitter end regardless of the cost to the people of Ireland? Answers on a postcard!
@Cal Mooney: “Cal Populist” ladies and gentlemen, he takes the cheap shots, blames the biggest elephant in the room, provides zero thought-provoking analysis of any given situation. Arms crossed, he stares into the empty void, and smugly utters banal tripe for thumbs up.
@Orla Smith: Yeah, I am not sorry for stating the obvious.
@Cal Mooney: I’ll ask the obvious so Cal, what has your original comment got to do with the article about army officers being commissioned?
@Orla Smith: I still cant believe you used the ‘cheap shot’ argument when we learned yesterday that Sweden (which has a higher building contractor wage than Ireland) managed to complete a 1,350 bed hospital 6 months ago for less than what Vradkar and his only-too-glad-to-get a-hand-out will build a 400 bed hospital for. Somethings are worth fighting for Orla. Others are not. Call me populist if you want, but the whole country is talking about how wrong this hospital is. No money for nurses or soldiers, but plenty of money to be made if you know the right people.
@Cal Mooney: on a serious note, what do you think stopping the building of the children’s hospital at this stage would achieve? Because I assume if you want it stopped that is what you want!
@Bernard Cantillon: If it can be built for less money this should be a golden opportunity for an opposition party to say we can guarantee it can be built for X million euros if elected. I can’t understand it, if it can really be built for less, why will nobody stand up and say we will do it.
@Paddy J: because any political party who says that will likely just say it to get votes regardless of it being true or not.
@Ronan Fahy: My suspicion is that nobody will say it because, for whatever reason, it just can’t be built cheaper in Ireland regardless of what other hospitals in Europe are being built for.
Varadker is all in favor of good people like soldiers and nurses, he loves them, just doesn’t want to pay them properly.
The money needs to kept there for important people like him.
@Al Fresco: The same issues of recruitment,retention and pay are hitting army numbers,many would be better off on the dole, a sad reflection of young people who aspire to serve their country and raise a family, poorly paid and sub standard housing.
https://www.thejournal.ie/defence-forces-personnel-4322102-Nov2018/
@Honeybee: and they tell us that we have to pay bankers enormous salaries to keep them in this country or we risk losing their special talents yet when it comes to people like nurses and soldiers they can very bravely say ” sorry but it’s just not in the budget”
@Al Fresco: I sometimes wonder how Leo and his ministers turn up to events showcasing our services such as these passing out ceremonies without blushing with shame at how those very service personnel are treated in terms of pay and conditions and then they use the opportunity for a spiel, before jumping in a state car and departing, I guess the only shame is to have none.
Ah praise, they can take that to the bank for sure! Exactly what they wanted rather than pay!
Nice to see at least a few people using the constitution rather than a bible for the swearing in. Progress
@Ronan Fahy: Where is this mentioned?
@David Walters: the photograph on top!
@David Walters: photo, at least two of the women have the constitution, theres one bible and something else as well
Just what the DF needs…more officers!
@Fred Conlan: Top heavy just like the HSE and every other government department in this country.
@Honest John: so if its top heavy there must by definition be more officers than enlisted i suppose?
@Ronan Fahy: not really.
Is this good news? I dont think so…
What military threat could they possibly defend us from? Brexit border guard class of ‘19
@Jimmy Journalnose: Oh look another armchair general that hasn’t a clue about anything and thinks anyone that does anything for reasons other than money are idiots.
@Simon Carroll: he is right though!
@Daithi De Roiste: Nothing wrong with their training. Everything wrong with their leaders in govt who won’t equip our nation to defend itself. Back in your box
@ross mcgee: back in my box about what? I don’t remember saying anything about their training! Are you sure you referenced the right person?
The Populist Far-Right had their momentary 3 year period, and what was the best they could deliver mankind? Donald Trump and a catastrophic Brexit. Far-right Nationalists are the disease we have to put with every few decades unfortunarely.
@Orla Smith: We see that far right dictator in waiting in Venezuala. We are agreed it is sickening.
@Orla Smith: You do know that the average soldier in the US gets paid more than a nurse in Ireland and I guess you think that’s justified? You want soldiers fighting but don’t support our nurses or soldiers here in Ireland. Genuine question, what is wrong with you?
@Cal Mooney: the average pay in the US army and the average pay for irish nurses is the same, with currency conversion both are €36k a year
@Vocal Outrage: You obviously missed the part that the average US soldier earns 60k per year excluding tours abroad or that they get mortgages at reduced rates for their service. It must have slipped by you.
@Cal Mooney: US soldiers on tours of duty only pay 14 percent tax rates. But hey, our nurses love paying a higher rate of tax and they absolutely love having to pay the expenses to get their degrees that US soldiers don’t have to incur if they chose to do the same degree. Seems fair.
@Cal Mooney: Eh what about the far left dictator maduro in situ?
They should get more than the €64 take home pay that the soilders in the Phoenix Park got for the weekend of the Pope’s visit.
Turn what’s being built into a park a ride car park and I’ve to a green field site as they should have from day one and build it with straight lines much cheaper
What a load of crap, didn’t Colin Fennelly say they do nothing! Waste of good tax payers money!
@Daithi De Roiste: correction Colon Fennelly did nothing whilst the rest picked up the slack
@John Swan: they picked up the chips more like
He will need them soldiers to police the border of which he making a shambles.
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