Mattie McGrath: Calls for action on spitting, tenants, Defence
Mattie McGrath spoke in a parliamentary debate on measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, urging tougher action against people spitting at frontline staff and raising a tenant-landlord mortgage dilemma. He outlined and welcomed provisions to re-enlist former Defence Force personnel and described current Defence and Reserve activity in support of the HSE.
Condemnation of spitting at frontline workers
Mattie McGrath strongly condemned incidents of people spitting at frontline staff during the pandemic, calling the behaviour "shocking" and "totally unacceptable." He urged that the law be expanded if necessary and said action should be considered immediately to prevent and punish such behaviour.
Tenants and landlords - mortgage holiday gap
Mattie McGrath raised a case of a tenant who lost her job and cannot keep up rent payments while the landlord remains employed and therefore does not qualify for a mortgage holiday. He asked what measures are in place or might be put in place when banks offer mortgage relief but landlords who remain working cannot pass on savings to support tenants.
Defence Forces support and re-enlistment scheme
Mattie McGrath acknowledged the Defence Forces' support to the HSE, noting visible deployments including ships at testing centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway and a military task force coordinating logistics. He described the inclusion in the bill of a re-enlistment provision for former enlisted personnel to fill specialised appointments - targeted at those who completed a full term or were discharged by purchase - with terms of enlistment from a minimum of six months up to three years. He said the provision mirrors section 4 of the published Defence Amendment Bill 2020 and that registration for re-enlistment will open on military.ie early next week with full terms to follow.
Reserve and civil defence contributions
Mattie McGrath welcomed the contribution of the Reserve Defence Force and civil defence volunteers, noting some reservists are already volunteering in roles where their skills are required and are paid for that work. He reported that following discussions with the Chief of Staff and the GOCs the GOCs are activating the Reserve and highlighted that members of the Naval Service Reserve are on board assisting with the COVID-19 response.
Acknowledgement of staff and volunteers
Mattie McGrath thanked the minister and departmental staff for briefings and support during the pandemic, and praised civil and military staff for administrative and logistical work sustaining the Defence contribution to the whole-of-government response. He also acknowledged volunteers in the civil defence organisation for their commitment in supporting principal response agencies.
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The Minister, again I want to thank you and thank your staff for the briefings and for indeed the support you've been to us during this pandemic and wish them all well in their endeavours and support the frontline staff and to rate over what Deputy Enochton said, I had said it this morning in my leader's address in the first round, it's shocking and it shouldn't be tolerated and if the law needs to be expanded I think we're back here next week we should do it, we should even consider doing it this week because it's something we want to nip at the bud and have it totally admonished and got rid of because it's a dirty rat in the habit at the best of times, spitting at somebody but to do it in these times it's just totally unacceptable and wholly unacceptable and mustn't be tolerated. Minister, what measures are in place or might you put in place for a tenant in a scenario where a landlord has an existing mortgage on her house and she is renting out to the tenant I'm talking about but her job is still in place as a landlord so she's not entitled, the landlord's not entitled to the mortgage holiday, the banks that the banks are offering but her private tenant has lost her job, the lady who contacted my office and even lost her job and even with the pandemic and her primary payment she is experiencing a huge pay loss, she's not able to keep up the payments but the landlord on the other hand has her jobs, she's a working and she's just probably in one house, maybe one half house but in many cases like that maybe she inherited it or whatever but she doesn't qualify for the rent fees from the banks or the mortgage fees because she still has her job so she can't pass on the savings to help the tenant. I welcome the opportunity to speak in relation to section 25 of this bill today, at the outset I would like to acknowledge the important contribution of the defence forces and indeed the entire defence organisation in support of the HSE in their effort to combat this very silent enemy. The most visible presence are the ships being used at testing centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway, a military task force has also been established to coordinate the support drawn from across all of the services and formations of the defence forces. Behind the scenes huge efforts have been made by both civil and military staff to coordinate our actions both administrative and logistical to sustain the defence contribution to the whole of government effort. I also want to acknowledge the support and commitment of the civil defence organisation in supporting the principal response agencies across the country. These volunteers and the civil defence officers are deserving of our praise and acknowledgement of their unwavering commitment in times of need. I had announced previously that the re-enlistment of former PDF personnel was one of the range of initiatives to address capability gaps in the Department of Defence Force. Last December I brought a draft bill to Government which provided for the re-enlistment of former enlisted personnel which was published last January as part of the Defence Amendment Bill 2020. I previously commenced a scheme for commissioned officers to return to service. In the past year a number of former pilots returned to serve in the Air Corps. There is also scope to re-commission officers in other specialist teams across the Defence Force organisation where shortages exist. While the officers can be re-commissioned under the provisions of the Defence Act, there is no such provision under which enlisted personnel can re-enlist. I am aware that there are former enlisted personnel wishing to return to the organisation and I was determined to facilitate this. The COVID crisis has added urgency, hence the inclusion of this provision in today's bill. The intention is that the provision will be used to enlist suitably qualified and experienced former enlisted persons in the PDF to fulfil key specialised appointments. The provision is identical to section 4 of the published Defence Amendment Bill 2020. The scheme is targeted at former enlisted persons who have completed a full term of their original enlistment, including any required service with the Reserve Defence Force, or who has been discharged by purchase. There may be former members who wish to re-enlist for a short period to answer the call to support the COVID-19 response. There will also be those who wish to re-enlist for the full three years. Therefore, the facility will be to enlist for a minimum of six months, but up to three years. There may be an option to extend further service once the period is completed, subject to vacancies existing and the Chief of Staff recommending it. Those wishing to be considered for re-enlistment will be able to register their interest on military.ie. Work is ongoing to put this in place and it is planned to go live early next week. Full terms and conditions will also be available to view at this point. Turning to the Reserve Defence Force, the Government appreciates the service of the members of the RDF, which comprises the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. In terms of the calls on resources to the Defence Forces at this time, a necessity for a general call out to the Reserve has not arisen. Some reservists who have skills which are required in COVID-19 response, and whose personnel circumstances allow them to do so, are already undertaking certain tasks on a voluntary basis, including support to the civil authorities. I welcome their contribution. Members of the Reserve are paid in such circumstances. When I visited the Delhi George Bernard Shaw yesterday to see the excellent work and the great contribution done by the Defence Forces, I was delighted to hear that members of the Naval Service Reserve are on board assisting with the COVID-19 response. I also confirmed today that, following discussions with the Chief of Staff and the GOCs, the GOCs are activating the Reserve to assist with the Defence Forces contribution to our national effort. I would encourage qualified ex-members of the Defence Forces to consider re-enlistment, particularly at this very difficult time in our lives. I look forward to welcoming them back as part of the Irish Defence Forces family. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
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