The Minister for Defence speaking to delegates at the PDFORRA conference in Trim, Co. Meath, where he was asked to intervene in the contracts issue. Photo: Moya Nolan
Plans to train thousands of new Defence Forces recruits could be seriously hindered because a cohort of highly experienced sergeants and petty officers face being forced to retire early due to contracts introduced in 1994.
Those contracts mean that such ranks have to retire at 50. But they are the people needed to train new personnel as part of the government’s commitment to bring military strength up to 11,500.
The government promise is already considered ambitious, considering there are currently 7,500 personnel. However, without the post-1994 cohort of experienced personnel — who will be forced to retire on December 31, 2024 — the target is considered almost impossible to achieve.
PDForra president Mark Keane told Minister for Defence Micheál Martin he has to make a quick decision on extending their contracts, because in the meantime many may leave as they've no security of tenure.
“You cannot recruit this level of experience and if you and your government are serious about safeguarding the future of the Defence Forces, then proper contracts need to be enacted as a matter of urgency. Ironically, these are the very same NCOs who will be needed to train those proposed increased new entrants into Oglaigh na hEireann,” Mr Keane said.
Mícheál Martin with Mark Keane, President of PDFORRA at the organisation's annual delegate conference. Photo: Moya Nolan
“Minister, we need you to intervene, we need you to deliver, the organisation needs these people now more than ever to ensure the Defence Forces is saved before it’s too late.”
Mr Keane said they are “witnessing the greatest exodus ever from the Defence Forces”.
“It's fair to say, and indeed it’s been proved at this point, that we are not going to recruit our way out of this crisis with just 60 new recruits under training at the new Joint Instructor Training Centre in Gormanston, Co. Meath,” Mr Keane said.
“We've been reasonable and responsible in calling for measures to be enacted to address this ongoing crisis as far back as 2017.
Whilst we acknowledge some inroads have been made with regards to pay, this has failed to stem the exodus from the Defence Forces across all ranks, across every formation, corps and unit which are critically below strength.
“Minister, I’m calling on you to address this before it’s too late. For the sake of the Defence Forces, for the sake of our members and for the sake of the security of the State you must intervene.” Mr Keane outlined a number of measures his association says are needed to rectify the situation.
He said the government needs to properly compensate navy crews for “the arduous tasks they undertake at sea and excessive hours worked". He said experienced technicians should be remunerated properly to reflect their skills and the Working Time Directive must be implemented across the Defence Forces.
In addition, Mr Keane said the government must enact recommendations made by the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces to introduce long-service increments and the creation of a lance corporal rank.