@John Long: equipment upgrades is just one part of the Commission on the Defence Forces report published February 2022, recommend reading it to get the full picture.

@Liam Grennan: what do you know about what our defence forces do I can off the top of my head if you want list 10 vital things our forces do and why 50m on aircraft is more than justified and money well spent

@Liam Grennan: our aircore transport very sick kids to ormand St hospital for transplants and other vital operations. They operate the Garda helicopter they are involved in air , land and sea rescue missions they operate covert recon missions tracking suspected drug or contraband ships at sea our navy enforce fishery laws and seize and search drug ships at considerable danger to our boarding parties and In fact our navy was involved with the largest ever seizure of drugs at sea in history. They also are involved with sea rescue and humanitarian missions our army secure our only high security prison and our government buildings and the national Mint. They are called out on average twice a day to deal with suspect explosive devices. They are on call 24hrs in aid to the civil power.

@Paul Gorry: I could have kept going but my post was too long… but you have the idea

@John Long: Reduce the numbers and pay those that have legitimate and needed jobs more. Unfortunately, there is a huge amount of people employed in our defence forces who have nothing to do for most of the year.

@Paul Gorry: etc. Et Cetera.

@Liam Grennan: we already put 20 billion into the health service…it doesn’t need more Money it needs proper management

@John Long: yawn

@sean o’dhubhghaill: You got him there Sean.
Did it make you feel all warm inside?

@Liam Grennan: so when SF in government adds to the €250bn debt created by FF and FG another €100bn on their own projects you will be ok. Great so.

@Mark Dawson: All very important tasks but you don’t need an army for any of them

@Paul Gorry: this article says it’s a $28-30 million aeroplane so at €50 million we are already paying circa twice the price.

https://military-wiki.com/casa-c-295-the-best-transport-aircraft-in-its-price-range/

@Mickety Dee:
The most sensible and accurate comment on this issue.

@Mark Dawson: You dropped the mic at the right time LOL

@Stephen Kearon: less of the patronising Stephen. If the wives and partners have to protest on their husbands behalf then pay should be the number 1 priority during a cost of living crisis. Have a nice day!

@John Long: so have a well paid army but no equipment to run said army? Did you ever think of becoming Minister for Defence?

@Mark Dawson: if you read my comment properly you would see I never criticised our defence system and quiet the opposite.

@David cotter: That what I ment by THEY as in other departments have more than enough money.

@John Long: I bet you are one of those who want everyone to support their local butcher, but also to become vegan?
People Join to do the job. Give them the tools to do it AND the pay. Not one or the other.

@Liam Grennan: Quite right!

@Jim Casey: too moral

@Jim Casey: its pedal power

@Colette Kearns: I’d take my chances with a mad man over a mad woman any day. At least you would have some chance of reasoning with him.

@Fuji Hakayito: ouch!

@Colette Kearns:
Apart from blaming everything on mad men I absolutely agree with you. There are enough resources on this planet to make it into a paradise for every single person.
The little problem of capitalism gets in the way of such an outcome.
Now, let’s take a little look at the replies to your post. Instead of responding to the most important aspect of your post, they set about attacking you for being (allegedly) anti-man, for being a woman, for being feeble-minded perhaps or for whatever gives them an excuse to deal with your substantive point. It is also intended to shut you up.They think you are dreaming but, they are the ones who promote and support nighmare lives and deaths for hundreds of millions of people. Mililarism, under any guise is still mililarism.

@Declan McKenna: socialism and communism haven’t exactly been great for promoting peace either…

@Colette Kearns: how many people will this plane murder do you think?

@Kerry Evans:
More sense and reason in a sea of war-mongering apologists for militarism and, worse still, “humanitarian” militarism. Let the voices for peace and prosperity keep singing!

@Kerry Evans: in 2021 we gave the following homeless charities €71,381,345
Peter McVerry Trust €38,378,909
Focus Ireland €15,644,870
Dublin Simon €17,357,566
Arlington Novas € 12,447,613
and over the last 5 years we have given them €327,496,751
That’s the price of 6 of these aircraft and we still have the same amount of homeless,
so in is not the price of a plane that causing homelessness