Sir, - I wish to thank Mr Kevin Myers for his spirited defence of the Defence Forces. I wish also to comment on the letter by Mr John Hanney, press officer of the Department of Defence. Mr Hanney's letter is little more than a numerical smoke screen so perhaps some realistic clarity is required.
In the penultimate draft of the Defence White Paper dated January 5th 2000, paragraph 8.2.4 states inter alia that "the 440 civil servants of the Department of Defence are engaged in a variety of tasks to fulfil the responsibilities of the Minister of Defence . . . There are 10 Civil Service Branches . . . In addition to the Finance Branch, the other branches are: Defence Forces Organisation, Legislation and Personnel, Defence Forces Conciliation and Arbitration, Policy and Planning, Claims Branch, Management Services, Contracts, Property Management and Civil Defence". The fact that many of these branches replicate existing military sections is conveniently omitted. The fact that all attempts to make these branches/sections joint civil/military ones is likewise left out.
In the final version of the White Paper which will go before the Cabinet, the paragraph referred to above has disappeared although the number of full-time civil servants is referred to in paragraph 8.3.1 as follows: "For a number of years a process of change has been underway in the Department resulting in a gradual evolution in the relationship between the military and civil elements. The principal features of this change process are: Civil service numbers have reduced from over 600 in the 1980s to a present strength of around 440." The paragraph then lists a series of "haven't we done well" items such as computerisation, a shift away from involvement in petty military administration, significant delegation of procurement to the military, etc., etc.
It is obvious that the first draft was seen to leave the Department vulnerable on the question of numbers. One must assume therefore that it was decided to bury the stark figures in an overall reduction of numbers achieved over 20 years and to garnish the camouflage with self congratulatory achievements.
Well done John ! You can wallpaper over the cracks but the bumps will always be evident. - Yours etc., Gerry McMahon,
Lt Gen. (retd.), Newbridge, Co Kildare.