Effects of the recruitment ban on the RDF

Tch, here I was about to debunk the myth of the imminent disbandment of the RDF, when ye lock the thread! (first read it on thursday, only got to a decent computer today!)

(also mods, feel free to delete references to that thread if it looks like continuing)

Anyways, here's my take on this recruitment embargo.

On my parade night, CO tells us all the bad news, and I become the only Rec present. I then get put with the 2* and 3* class, learning things I wouldn't expect to see for at least another 2 years.

On a personal level, thats frickin brilliant.

However, we've lost a whole section of lads in our unit, who were 1 week away from being sworn in when the embargo struck.

It's a kick in the teeth, but those of us who remain should use the extra training time to our advantage. The guy who was training the new recruits, now has the time to bring you through that drill you were iffy on, there's more chances to learn from superiors things which you won't need yet, but will be a distinct advantage once you go on exercise.

Are there any other effects you think the ban will entail?

edit: also, it was a very hard thing to send those recruits away, since most have been coming to parade nights since September.

Scrambled egg

Deleted User wrote: »

Tch, here I was about to debunk the myth of the imminent disbandment of the RDF, when ye lock the thread! (first read it on thursday, only got to a decent computer today!)

(also mods, feel free to delete references to that thread if it looks like continuing)

Anyways, here's my take on this recruitment embargo.

On my parade night, CO tells us all the bad news, and I become the only Rec present. I then get put with the 2* and 3* class, learning things I wouldn't expect to see for at least another 2 years.

On a personal level, thats frickin brilliant.

However, we've lost a whole section of lads in our unit, who were 1 week away from being sworn in when the embargo struck.

It's a kick in the teeth, but those of us who remain should use the extra training time to our advantage. The guy who was training the new recruits, now has the time to bring you through that drill you were iffy on, there's more chances to learn from superiors things which you won't need yet, but will be a distinct advantage once you go on exercise.

Are there any other effects you think the ban will entail?

edit: also, it was a very hard thing to send those recruits away, since most have been coming to parade nights since September.

Funny, the exact same thing happened in my unit and it sounds extraordinarily similar too. I was given the boot. Your not in my unit are you, 62nd Engs?

arybvtcw0eolkf

My son was caught up in all this too.

He'd just gone through the preliminary stages, ie security checks etc and then got knocked back.

Although he's young and will hopefully get another bite of the cherry when this damned recession is over.

If he doesn't, for whatever reason, it'll be the end of a long line of men from my family not to have served in the Defence Forces since the foundation of the state.

I think thats sad.

christophicus

I'm in a similar situation myself,I've been there since the start of October and passed the Security Check and hearing/medical, I assume I was only a week or two away from being sworn in.


Anyway we've been told that they don't know what the situation is, and that we are to continue coming along as per usual.

minidazzler

My cousin is the same, he was actually going to be starting in Sept. Because he's not 17 yet, but he was really looking forward to it. His Dad had been in the PDF 19 years and the FCÁ/RDF for around 8 years more, both before and after Permanent service. I feel so bad for him now because he would be fairly good for the organisation. He's into it but not in a walty way, and he's sound out.

On the upside it leaves me free to do what/who I want without the possibility of my family finding out. Still though.


In my opinion the Recruitment ban will kill the RDF if nothing is done to curtail it's death. There are lots of things that can be done, but they won't be.

Craigsy

Total shocker for me. Was planning on joining in sept. but looks like my plans are gone up in smoke now. Ah well, guess i'll just have to wait for the cadets to open again

iceage

What a total kick in the bollicks lads...a young cousin of mine got the heave ho as well..FFS hes absolutely gutted.

p1akuw47h5r3it

What are the effects of the ban on recruiting in the PDF??

Poccington

Julissa Gentle Statistician wrote: »

What are the effects of the ban on recruiting in the PDF??

The main effect is I'm doing far too much work for my own liking

On a serious note though, there hasn't been any major effect as of yet that I've personally noticed. Most Units are under manned but that was the case as well before the freeze was put in place. It will probably start to hit a bit more in a year or so when people start retiring, going on their tickets and not having their contracts renewed.

Unless of course you're a member of the 27th Bn, in which case you'll be grand cause it's like the Chinese Army up there :pac:

piby

Wow looks like I made it more or less by the skin of my teeth got sworn in about 4 weeks ago! I feel kinda bad now because that was the only time I'd been up since Xmas and will be until June (I have/had thesis due in and finals coming up but I was given time off for that) while they're are people who've been up every night since November, and they're just going to be dropped?!! And I slightly less serious note will I still be able to get my uniform?

bunny shooter

piby wrote: »

..........And I slightly less serious note will I still be able to get my uniform?

They don't generally deliver :rolleyes:

piby

bunny shooter wrote: »

They don't generally deliver :rolleyes:

I know I just hope they'll have some left by the time I get back

Well, I do have a suggestion for units up and down the country.

Find people on your books, those who have been sworn in and ask them back. Do what you can to get boots on courses.

I realise that most people who don't come back, don't for a reason. But even if out of 20 people, one comes back, that's one more person showing up who wouldn't have.

Also, units will have to offer more for their members to entice them to remain coming. I'd say that means extracurricular activities, more hill-walking, charity stuff, things where a group goes and does stuff.

But everything like that will depend on the members.

It all hinges on the members.

trellheim

That particular planning cycle is in train.


HOWEVER. Every time they cut recruitment off [ Foot and Mouth, and the 1985-1992 "One Week's Camp Only" ] - it takes 2-3 years at minimum to recover afterwards

p1akuw47h5r3it

Poccington wrote: »

The main effect is I'm doing far too much work for my own liking

On a serious note though, there hasn't been any major effect as of yet that I've personally noticed. Most Units are under manned but that was the case as well before the freeze was put in place. It will probably start to hit a bit more in a year or so when people start retiring, going on their tickets and not having their contracts renewed.

Unless of course you're a member of the 27th Bn, in which case you'll be grand cause it's like the Chinese Army up there :pac:

I'm not asking this to be patronising it's a serious question:

but what do soldiers (privates and/or cadets) actually do?

I want to become a soldier in the PDF but tbh I don't know what youse do:o

greenarrow

Deleted User wrote: »

Well, I do have a suggestion for units up and down the country.

Find people on your books, those who have been sworn in and ask them back. Do what you can to get boots on courses.

I realise that most people who don't come back, don't for a reason. But even if out of 20 people, one comes back, that's one more person showing up who wouldn't have.

.

I would imagine that the above suggestion would be a disaster for the following reasons:

(a) You would have people coming back purely for the money
(b) They have been MIA for so long that they would have to be retrained, which would mean those trained would be missing out on exercise/time in the field/experience etc.
Which would piss off the dedicated members because they would feel insulted and they might leave.

I am sure units would rather have the dedicated people there over the fly-ins.

(c) Most units are probably better off without the majority of these people for a number of reasons.
(d) I would imagine that training NCOs would be hacked off having to train someone who shouldn't really be there.
(e) This would be a backward step for the RDF because the grat criteria was developed to eliminate (as much as possible) the "camp rat" population.
(f) They would also then be holding up vacancies in said units at the expense of those recruits who have been turned away recently because there is no recruitment being allowed past "effective strength".
(g) Would these people come back in with a chip on their shoulders given that they would have more "service" on those who are actually attending training.
That could cause problems too. We all want to be happy campers!:D

concussion

If we can't get new recruits then we have to get back our existing troops - varied and more challenging exercises are what are needed, this is the time to really put the boot in and make the training exciting worthwhile.

BigDuffman

Someone (A recruit more than likely) is going to be on Joe Duffy's that other guy's version of live line on RTE1 today. 13:45 giving out about the freeze on recruitment in the army reserve and how she got the boot.

Should be interesting

christophicus

BigDuffman wrote: »

Someone (A recruit more than likely) is going to be on Joe Duffy's that other guy's version of live line on RTE1 today. 13:45 giving out about the freeze on recruitment in the army reserve and how she got the boot.

Should be interesting

Damn, missed it by less than an hour. Anyone hear how it went ?

Donny5

christophicus wrote: »

Damn, missed it by less than an hour. Anyone hear how it went ?

I was listening at that time, but I didn't hear anything.

BigDuffman

Yeah they advertised it but apparently a bunch of owl ones talking about the water quality in Gort was more interesting :S so they ran out of time for it today.

Would of been interesting. They had a cmdt from Bn HQ set up to give an official line and everything! Get on to liveline to see if they will run it on a different day!

neilled

christophicus wrote: »

Damn, missed it by less than an hour. Anyone hear how it went ?

Get it here from tomorrow. http://www.rte.ie/radio1/podcast/podcast_liveline.xml

Donny5

BigDuffman wrote: »

Yeah they advertised it but apparently a bunch of owl ones talking about the water quality in Gort was more interesting :S so they ran out of time for it today.

Would of been interesting. They had a cmdt from Bn HQ set up to give an official line and everything! Get on to liveline to see if they will run it on a different day!

Ah, well, it might have been interesting. Do you know which Bn it was?

BigDuffman

Maybe it was scrapped for a reason? I cant see some clueless recruit having any positive or meaningful argument! And it would turn into the usual nonsense with every walter in existence piping up about the invaluable service provided by the RDF and end up in the usual pissing contest.

greenarrow

concussion wrote: »

If we can't get new recruits then we have to get back our existing troops - varied and more challenging exercises are what are needed, this is the time to really put the boot in and make the training exciting worthwhile.

That is a ridiculous and knee-jerk reaction.

Why not look at why these people left in the first place and then seeing as you will have a smaller unit to train and so on, it should be a lot easier to assess where you can ensure that these same problems don't occur.
I am sure the people who are there now are there because they want to be.

And I will come and out and say this, that the RDF needs to get its act together with this current embargo if it doesn't want to lose people, it should by and large face up to a stark realisation.
That being that if a soldier leaves, then they are not going to get he/she replaced. So it is now paramount that all the training and so on does move up to a higher standard all across the board in order to keep the personnell involved at the moment involved during the hard times ahead.

concussion

You will ALWAYS have people leaving due to work, college, family life, internal politics and general disillusionment - with an embargo in place there's no point just trying to keep your active troops interested as you are only delaying the inevitable. To keep numbers up we need to encourage all our troops, not just the currently active ones.

Jim236

Everyone in our unit was told tonight that as a result of the recruitment ban, our applications have been frozen because none of us were sworn in or finished our training by March 27th. The sgt. said the DOD was now "reconsidering" the recruitment ban and theres a slight chance it might be lifted within the next few weeks, but the chances are slim, and the rumour is the ban won't be lifted till 2011. He said theres about 1,200 people in the same position.

minidazzler

Jim236 wrote: »

Everyone in our unit was told tonight that as a result of the recruitment ban, our applications have been frozen because none of us were sworn in or finished our training by March 27th. The sgt. said the DOD was now "reconsidering" the recruitment ban and theres a slight chance it might be lifted within the next few weeks, but the chances are slim, and the rumour is the ban won't be lifted till 2011. He said theres about 1,200 people in the same position.

When did you start just as a matter of interest? When was the first night you went up?

Jim236

minidazzler wrote: »

When did you start just as a matter of interest? When was the first night you went up?

I enlisted at the end of Feb, 28th to be exact. Theres guys in there who enlisted back in January.

minidazzler

Jim236 wrote: »

I enlisted at the end of Feb, 28th to be exact. Theres guys in there who enlisted back in January.

January and February, I would consider that quite late, I am not surprized ye didn't. I do know one person who started in October who got shafted out of it. She's alright lookin too.:(

irishmonkey

Most of the rec's in my unit were told see ya last night. A lot of them have been training since sept/oct.

Also, I won't be getting promoted until 2010 apparently.
On top of that, theres talk of those currently on pots not getting their stripes on completion.

minidazzler

irishmonkey wrote: »

Most of the rec's in my unit were told see ya last night. A lot of them have been training since sept/oct.

Also, I won't be getting promoted until 2010 apparently.
On top of that, theres talk of those currently on pots not getting their stripes on completion.

I assume you are a recruit now, I would think you will be "promoted" but now paid as such.

Same will probably happen for the Pothential NCO's,

irishmonkey

minidazzler wrote: »

I assume you are a recruit now, I would think you will be "promoted" but now paid as such.

Same will probably happen for the Pothential NCO's,

No, im a 2star.
Was promoted back in Jan, but should have been promoted last Sept.

minidazzler

irishmonkey wrote: »

No, im a 2star.
Was promoted back in Jan, but should have been promoted last Sept.

You are not automatically a 2 star the day after you complete Recruit Training, the Routine Orders have to be updated first IIRC.

Not that bad really, only €18 a week you lose, Which isn't overly terrible.

irishmonkey

minidazzler wrote: »

You are not automatically a 2 star the day after you complete Recruit Training, the Routine Orders have to be updated first IIRC.

Not that bad really, only €18 a week you lose, Which isn't overly terrible.

Ah i know that. We were just promised our stars at the end of summer camp last year, then again when we got back to barracks, then again in sept.. oct.. nov... and so on and so fourth. - sorry, got promoted in nov!

True, but only recs and 3*s could go on easter camp this year. We were shunned
Which is a real pity, there were a fair few of us that would have gone for the few days unpaid. But we couldnt because of some legislation from the RDFRA.

minidazzler

irishmonkey wrote: »

Ah i know that. We were just promised our stars at the end of summer camp last year, then again when we got back to barracks, then again in sept.. oct.. nov... and so on and so fourth. - sorry, got promoted in nov!

True, but only recs and 3*s could go on easter camp this year. We were shunned
Which is a real pity, there were a fair few of us that would have gone for the few days unpaid. But we couldnt because of some legislation from the RDFRA.

RDFRA don't make Legislation, or anything really within the RDF. Ther is no real reason ye couldn't do days unpaid, I did a boatload last year.

Why were recruits on Easter Camp though, that is not required within the sylabus. It would have made more sense to send the 2*'s for some training.

trellheim

Recruits need their syllabus-based training like everyone else ...

minidazzler

trellheim wrote: »

Recruits need their syllabus-based training like everyone else ...

Yes but an Easter Camp isn't part of the Sylabus. I am all for them covering the sylabus, but now what happens when they go on summer camp with their unit's requesting extra paid days for them. Or only giving the 2*'s 1 Weeks camp.

bat1830

I am new to this and just had a quick question. I was one of the unfortunate who was recently informed that due to the recruitment ban, my application would be frozen. From reading this i am to believe that there are up to 1200 other people in this position. I was wondering would it not be possible to off us potential recruits the opportunity to continuing training but put a pay stop in place. Meaning: All people who have been attending pre enlistment courses be accepted subject to the understanding that they will receive no pay for the length of the moratorium. This I believe would cut the 1200 down considerably cutting costs but affording the likes of myself who has no interest in the money the opportunity to continue training. I understand there are still costs incurred by the government but they would be greatly reduced. I am not saying that the ban be lifted but for people waiting ages for paper work, offers them the opportunity to continue giving their time and enjoying the challenges involved.
I know there will clearly be opposition to this but is this not a possibility at all. Go easy its only a tought from a dissapointed person but
I feel this may offer a solution as the reason stated for the continuing recruitment of garda reserve is the voluntary nature.

christophicus

Thats a pretty good suggestion alright, I'd be happy enough with that.

What I'd say to any recruit that has got their security/hearing/medical done but have not been sworn in, is to stick around and go up to the barracks every week for another month or so. There is a VERY small chance that a concession will be made for people in such a situation.

Donny5

bat1830 wrote: »

I am new to this and just had a quick question. I was one of the unfortunate who was recently informed that due to the recruitment ban, my application would be frozen. From reading this i am to believe that there are up to 1200 other people in this position. I was wondering would it not be possible to off us potential recruits the opportunity to continuing training but put a pay stop in place. Meaning: All people who have been attending pre enlistment courses be accepted subject to the understanding that they will receive no pay for the length of the moratorium. This I believe would cut the 1200 down considerably cutting costs but affording the likes of myself who has no interest in the money the opportunity to continue training. I understand there are still costs incurred by the government but they would be greatly reduced. I am not saying that the ban be lifted but for people waiting ages for paper work, offers them the opportunity to continue giving their time and enjoying the challenges involved.
I know there will clearly be opposition to this but is this not a possibility at all. Go easy its only a tought from a dissapointed person but
I feel this may offer a solution as the reason stated for the continuing recruitment of garda reserve is the voluntary nature.

To be honest, it's not likely at all. There's likely legal issues with having some personnel paid for activities others aren't.

bat1830

I understand that there are implications arising by paying personnel different rates or paying some and not others but this would have to be a pre agreed mandate and would probably need the signature of the recruit involved that they understand that for the period of the recruitment freeze or stated time period they will receive no pay. As im led to believe something similar has already occurred with gratuities ( I may be mistaken).

Anyway it was just an idea which I personally would have no problem agreeing with as I feel the experience that maybe gained far outweighs a few hundred euro paid to your account. I also realise this may not suit every potential recruit but it may be a short term solution considering majority of potential recruits I met where still attending school or college and had the ability to take unpaid leave. I know this may lead to the question discrimination against people who do work, but the same opportunity would be offered to everybody involved who had applied and sent off paperwork/ done medicals ect

So YES it is a slim and probably idealistic idea but how to get around this has weighed heavily on my mind for the past few days as 2011 seems so so so far away.

Scrambled egg

bat1830 wrote: »

I understand that there are implications arising by paying personnel different rates or paying some and not others but this would have to be a pre agreed mandate and would probably need the signature of the recruit involved that they understand that for the period of the recruitment freeze or stated time period they will receive no pay. As im led to believe something similar has already occurred with gratuities ( I may be mistaken).

Anyway it was just an idea which I personally would have no problem agreeing with as I feel the experience that maybe gained far outweighs a few hundred euro paid to your account. I also realise this may not suit every potential recruit but it may be a short term solution considering majority of potential recruits I met where still attending school or college and had the ability to take unpaid leave. I know this may lead to the question discrimination against people who do work, but the same opportunity would be offered to everybody involved who had applied and sent off paperwork/ done medicals ect

So YES it is a slim and probably idealistic idea but how to get around this has weighed heavily on my mind for the past few days as 2011 seems so so so far away.

I was let go too Bat and I agree with everything you say. 2011 Seems so far away but screw it, lets keep hoping!!! Its all we can do FFS

That sounds so cheesy

steyr fan

bat1830 wrote: »

I am new to this and just had a quick question. I was one of the unfortunate who was recently informed that due to the recruitment ban, my application would be frozen. From reading this i am to believe that there are up to 1200 other people in this position. I was wondering would it not be possible to off us potential recruits the opportunity to continuing training but put a pay stop in place. Meaning: All people who have been attending pre enlistment courses be accepted subject to the understanding that they will receive no pay for the length of the moratorium. This I believe would cut the 1200 down considerably cutting costs but affording the likes of myself who has no interest in the money the opportunity to continue training. I understand there are still costs incurred by the government but they would be greatly reduced. I am not saying that the ban be lifted but for people waiting ages for paper work, offers them the opportunity to continue giving their time and enjoying the challenges involved.
I know there will clearly be opposition to this but is this not a possibility at all. Go easy its only a tought from a dissapointed person but
I feel this may offer a solution as the reason stated for the continuing recruitment of garda reserve is the voluntary nature.

This is the type of attitude that I as a member of the RDF am proud. The RDF do NOT do it for the money (but please don't ask why we DO do it, or I'll be here all night:)).

It is because of lads & lassies like this that those of us in the RDF (I'm 17 years in it:eek:) should be as positive & optimistic as we can, to encourage young people to join the RDF, and that it is a very worthy organisation.

And if anyone on here (PDF / RDF / Civvie) is even remotely tempted to doubt or question this enthusiasm, then stay the fcuk away, cause your negitave attitude is only pissing people off. What is needed here and in the the DF as a whole (& the economy at large) is the Spirit of the Grand Slam - we are unbeatable.

And I really mean that. Optimism IS required. Get on, do the job, and (if you are a praying type of person, then maybe now might be a good time to pray:cool:) maybe the RDF will be given a bit of slack, and all those brilliantly wildly enthuasistic young people who want to join, will be allowed, and they will enhance our abilities even further.

So again, if you are going to reply to this post in the negatory, DO'NT. FCUK OFF.

steyr fan

bunny shooter wrote: »

They don't generally deliver :rolleyes:

If your Pln Sgt & CQ work together, you'll get your uniform.

If they don't work together, they shoud both be sacked.

strangeloop

steyr fan wrote: »

This is the type of attitude that I as a member of the RDF am proud. The RDF do NOT do it for the money (but please don't ask why we DO do it, or I'll be here all night:)).

It is because of lads & lassies like this that those of us in the RDF (I'm 17 years in it:eek:) should be as positive & optimistic as we can, to encourage young people to join the RDF, and that it is a very worthy organisation.

And if anyone on here (PDF / RDF / Civvie) is even remotely tempted to doubt or question this enthusiasm, then stay the fcuk away, cause your negitave attitude is only pissing people off. What is needed here and in the the DF as a whole (& the economy at large) is the Spirit of the Grand Slam - we are unbeatable.

And I really mean that. Optimism IS required. Get on, do the job, and (if you are a praying type of person, then maybe now might be a good time to pray:cool:) maybe the RDF will be given a bit of slack, and all those brilliantly wildly enthuasistic young people who want to join, will be allowed, and they will enhance our abilities even further.

So again, if you are going to reply to this post in the negatory, DO'NT. FCUK OFF.

LDF/FCA/RDF, whatever you want to call it has always had the piss taken out of it. These guys constantly give up their free time to serve Ireland. They do it for practically nothing and get not so much as a thank you in return.

Why are they getting cutbacks??? Anyone that volunteers to serve in the defence forces for free has my total respect. There are plenty of areas in the regular force which could do with some downsizing - the reserve don't owe a cent to no one. Its a total disgrace that potential recruits are being turned away.

@styer

@styer fan: +1. Amen brother.

greenarrow

I agree with that.

Will a concession be made in line to what is going on with the Garda reserve?
I would like to see it.

And the other side of the coin is that the people who are in the RDF would be there for the most genuine of reasons.

bat1830

Another point. It appears that as this embargo falls on the heads of potential RDF recruits, does this not affect the garda reserve???? Imagine how anoyed I was to be told on a night during the week that my application has been frozen due to the recruitment ban, the next evening im sitting in the cinema eating my popcorn not really paying attetion because im still thinking how dissapointed I am when, what pops on but an advert to recruit new recruits for the garda reserve. A bloody cinema screen sized slap in the face.

So I came home and had a scan of the net to see what was actualy implied pecifically by this embargo and this is the exact passage I found.
(On a Q&A section on the Department of Finances Website)

Q. Does the Moratorium apply to all areas of the public service?
A:Yes. The recruitment and promotion moratorium will operate in respect of the civil service, local authorities, non-commercial state bodies, the Garda Síochána and the Permanent Defence Forces. The arrangements have been modulated in relation to the education and health sectors to reflect the particular service needs in those sectors.


http://www.finance.gov.ie/Viewtxt.asp?DocID=5723&StartDate=1+January+2009

Here I see permanent defence forces no RDF same as Garda Siochana no Reserve Garda.
I find if the RDF was to be included, the term permanant would not have been incerted and instead Defence forces would have been said???

Again wishfull thinking but does anybody have an opinion on this. Take a read of the article and let me know.

Poccington

strangeloop wrote: »

LDF/FCA/RDF, whatever you want to call it has always had the piss taken out of it. These guys constantly give up their free time to serve Ireland. They do it for practically nothing and get not so much as a thank you in return.

Why are they getting cutbacks??? Anyone that volunteers to serve in the defence forces for free has my total respect. There are plenty of areas in the regular force which could do with some downsizing - the reserve don't owe a cent to no one. Its a total disgrace that potential recruits are being turned away.

What are the areas that could do with some downsizing in the PDF?

christophicus

bat1830 wrote: »

Another point. It appears that as this embargo falls on the heads of potential RDF recruits, does this not affect the garda reserve???? Imagine how anoyed I was to be told on a night during the week that my application has been frozen due to the recruitment ban, the next evening im sitting in the cinema eating my popcorn not really paying attetion because im still thinking how dissapointed I am when, what pops on but an advert to recruit new recruits for the garda reserve. A bloody cinema screen sized slap in the face.

So I came home and had a scan of the net to see what was actualy implied pecifically by this embargo and this is the exact passage I found.
(On a Q&A section on the Department of Finances Website)

Q. Does the Moratorium apply to all areas of the public service?
A:Yes. The recruitment and promotion moratorium will operate in respect of the civil service, local authorities, non-commercial state bodies, the Garda Síochána and the Permanent Defence Forces. The arrangements have been modulated in relation to the education and health sectors to reflect the particular service needs in those sectors.


http://www.finance.gov.ie/Viewtxt.asp?DocID=5723&StartDate=1+January+2009

Here I see permanent defence forces no RDF same as Garda Siochana no Reserve Garda.
I find if the RDF was to be included, the term permanant would not have been incerted and instead Defence forces would have been said???

Again wishfull thinking but does anybody have an opinion on this. Take a read of the article and let me know.

If you look at the page name it would appear it was put up in January, before the latest budget.

They probably updated it after the latest budget but forgot to add in the RDF, it is the Irish Government after all .