Read on Twitter
1/24 Thinking about @IRLCoDF and wondering if it'll be "déjà vu all over again"? Let's reprise this 'op ed' written by Lt Gen Gerry McMahon (ret’d) former Chief of Staff all of 20 years ago on 9 Feb 2000. THREAD 
"Defence Paper presents appalling vista" https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/defence-paper-presents-appalling-vista-1.243129
"Defence Paper presents appalling vista" https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/defence-paper-presents-appalling-vista-1.243129
2/24 “The White Paper on Defence could send the @defenceforces into terminal decline. This will cause little pain to those who don't appreciate the necessity for Defence Forces. It is an appalling vista for those of us who appreciate the real damage being proposed.." @cathalberry
3/24 ”The draft has been prepared by civil servants in the @IRLDeptDefence. In its present form, it sets up Defence Forces... for the coup de grace.” @GCraughwell @CharlieFlanagan @nealerichmond @jackfchambers @lichamber @geraldnash @SorcaClarke_TD @BrianLeddin @simoncoveney
4/24 "In preparing this draft the Department of Defence has apparently ignored the input of the military management and the representative associations." @pdforra @RACO_DF @ARCOIreland @OneFuchsia @NationsIrish @WPDF_2017 @GaryGannonTD @ColmBurkeTD @davidstantontd @PaulMcauliffe
5/24 "As such the draft is shoddy. It is, however, transparent in that it is perfectly obvious that the results of the paper were listed first and the body of the paper then fashioned to fit the predetermined outcome.” @dsmooney @Conorlally @MattShanahanTD @BrianLeddin @DFPRB
6/24 “In 1994, the government commissioned a root-and-branch examination of the Defence Forces. This was taken on by the consultants PriceWaterhouse, who employed a Canadian-led military team to assist them....” @Aiden_Corkery @CormacJOKeeffe @SenatorMarkDaly @John_McGahon @yfg
7/24 “...the government decision of March 5th, 1996... the essential elements of which were that the Defence Forces were to be reduced from 13,000 to 11,500. A decision to sell unwanted barracks was also taken. These cuts were made to fund a major re-equipment programme...”
8/24 “PriceWaterhouse indicated that this would be necessary because of the serious lack of equipment. Indeed, they also felt that there would be a necessity for an additional initial injection, given the fact that the forces had been so under-resourced in the previous 25 years.”
9/24 “Needless to say, none of this happened. The Department of Finance grabbed 50 per cent of the savings, and what equipment was purchased was provided in slow motion and grudgingly when pressure built up.” @MulliganEddie @CllrPioSmith @Fiona_Kildare @martinheydonfg @ngosson
10/24 “Now with our emerging enhanced role in Europe and increased responsibilities there is a pressing requirement to deliver on equipment. The simplistic answer in this draft is a further cut of 1,000 personnel.” @ColmBurkeTD @BrendanSmithTD @MarkWall1 @ahernegerald @ppwone
11/24 “A sovereign nation requires a defence force to underwrite and affirm its existence as such. It is part of the infrastructure which provides a secure base for the development of industry and trade." @joseph_aidan @MccrumJacqui @McNamara_Eoin @andrewcottey @Edward__Burke
12/24 "This is very well understood in most developed countries, but not in Ireland. Defence forces provide a kind of insurance policy for the state.” @KeohaneDan @seandanaher5 @SeanFionn @Bentonra @Andy_Scollick @jjsalmo @TheresaAFallon @galwaygrrl @slandail_nssi @JohnMinihan
13/24 “The military, in peacetime, has traditionally sought 14,000-strong Defence Forces; the Departments of Finance and Defence 6,000 to 8,000. Who is correct?” @fiannafailparty @FineGael @Regional_Grp @malcolmbyrne @mmcgrathtd @Paschald @shanemoynihan @johnbradysf @PKpaulking
14/24 “It is difficult to be definitive, but there are international standards of measurement. These include a cocktail of ratios involving population, national wealth, geopolitical position, foreign and security policy etc.” @DrDavidSM @The_Irish_Texan @MattGONeill @SousaPPS
15/24 “An easy measurement is a ratio of defence spending to GNP. Ireland's is 0.8 per cent and has been falling steadily since 1990. The European average is 1.7 per cent.” @rc_mccabe @TomClonan @stenrynning @K_Kourousis @arisroussinos @BrigidLaffan @beaufortcomment @tjmcintyre
16/24 “Once we have Defence Forces of adequate strength, trained for their main role, other everyday services become available as a spin-off. These include peace-support operations, aid to the civil power, fishery protection and search-and-recovery.” @KennethMcDonagh @RuthMCasey
17/24 “The government decision in 1996 was to have Defence Forces of 11,500. During my time as chief-of-staff the minister for defence accepted the 11,500 ceiling. He promised automatic continuous recruitment up to that ceiling... He did not keep that promise.” @puisserguier
18/24 “Instead the Department of Defence allowed the strength to fall to 10,900. The Minister now wishes to bring the ceiling down from 11,500 to 10,500, a cut of I,000. In putting this across he says it is a cut of only 400.” @PatrickHolden1 @DavidBa8976 @kennedycdog
19/24 “He also promised that the 1,000 cut would pay for equipment needs. That was the 1996 promise. The Defence Forces have already been fooled, not once but twice. It is difficult to see them being fooled a third time.” @stevenconlon @mupper2 @ger_cosgrove @lawlessj
20/24 “Comparative statistics are interesting. Denmark is of similar size to Ireland. Its economy is similar. It is a member of NATO. It is a member of the EU. Its defence forces number 29,000, but its defence civil servants number 62.” @NoelO832597 @D0Sullivan @wrafter_colin
21/24 “Ireland's Defence Forces number 10,900 and falling (in Feb 2000). The number of civil servants is 440.” @PeterOHalloran1 @GorseFires @kforfitz_Wayne @IRLPatricia @KevMcP @erskinechilders @ConorHogarty @donlav @roryireland
22/24 “In 1996, following discussions between the assistant secretary of the Department of Defence and myself, a ceiling of 850 for soldiers serving overseas was recommended. This became the agreed government response to requests for peace-support operations.”
23/24 “This number was set against a background of the then age profile and medically unfit categories. The intention was that once these impediments had been rectified by the reorganisation then under way, the number would be increased to about 1,400. Nothing has happened.”
24/24 “Currently Irish troops deployed overseas are at this ceiling. The White Paper now attacks the 850 limit. It says... that our biggest mission is UNIFIL in Lebanon and that such missions are on the wane. While this may suit the predesignated cuts, it simply is not true.”
