Just 152 personnel have applied for the SSCS, of whom 141 were accepted. Picture: Denis Minihane
An incentive launched by former minister for defence Simon Coveney to get a commitment from navy personnel to undertake sea patrols has clearly not worked because so few have taken up the offer.
That is the claim made by PDForra, which represents enlisted personnel in the Defence Forces, after the Irish Examiner presented the association with information obtained on the take-up for the Sea-Going Service Commitment Scheme (SSCS), which came into effect on January 1, 2021.
The Defence Forces Press Office confirmed to the Irish Examiner that to date just 152 personnel have applied for the SSCS, of whom 141 were accepted. To date, just 12 personnel have received all four stage payments of the incentive bonus.
Naval Service personnel normally undertake a two-year cycle of patrol duties followed by two years of shore duties. Under the terms of the SSCS, those who complete a minimum of 240 days on sea patrols during a two-year period qualify for a €10,000 payment in four six-monthly tranches of €2,500.
The SSCS initially offered sailors with three-plus years of service the €10,000 bonus (which is taxable), with the stage payments following each six-month period of sea-going patrols.
Mr Coveney initially stated that only those with three-plus years of service would be able to qualify for the scheme. PDForra said at the time this was discriminatory and unfair as people regardless of experience were still doing the same jobs at sea.
Mr Coveney later relented, allowing those who had completed a year of service to apply for the scheme.
Considering the navy has an effective force of less than 800 and is now reduced to two operational ships and one in reserve, the SSCS take-up has been far lower than had been hoped for.
'Our members are still voting with their feet and leaving,” said PDForra president Mark Keane. Picture: Dan Linehan
“Unfortunately, this much-trumpeted scheme has failed to address the crisis within the naval service, as our members are still voting with their feet and leaving,” said PDForra president Mark Keane.
He said other actions are needed to keep personnel in the dwindling force.
“We have highlighted the concerns of our members previously and have been reasonable in calling for immediate amalgamation of the allowances which are payable to members currently serving afloat," he said.
"Ironically, the Government’s own commission for the future of the Defence Forces called for these allowances to be amalgamated. We need to address this issue without delay as we need to steady the ship and properly remunerate those who serve afloat,” Mr Keane said.