Richard Boyd Barrett criticises defence pay, housing and airlift
Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett criticised the level of support for the Defence Forces, focusing on pay, allowances, accommodation and the lack of airlift capacity. He argued that praise for the forces rings hollow without concrete measures to restore pay, fill vacancies and provide housing and transport.
Concerns over pay and conditions
He highlighted continued poor levels of pay, cuts in allowances and the failure to restore many payments reduced during the austerity period. He said the figures are damning and urged backing up rhetoric with decent pay and conditions for personnel.
Staffing shortfalls and vacancies
He raised staffing shortfalls, saying Defence Force strength stands about 1,000 below need, with 610 unfilled vacancies at junior NCO ranks and captains at 77.6% of establishment. He linked these gaps to difficulties in retaining and recruiting personnel.
Accommodation and housing shortfalls
He criticised the decision to stop providing accommodation and the refusal to refurbish married quarters that could offer affordable on-base or near-base housing. He said many military personnel are caught up in the broader housing crisis facing the country.
Airlift capacity called into question
He warned that the State lacks airlift capacity to bring troops home, citing an instance where personnel in Chad had to travel with French forces and leave weapons and ammunition behind to use civilian aircraft. He argued airlift is needed for military personnel, citizens stranded abroad during the COVID-19 crisis and potential mercy missions.
Ministerial response and announced measures
In reply the minister said he would support airlift capacity but acknowledged the cost, and stated that under his tenure £265 million had been invested in aircraft for the Air Corps. The minister said the government will deliver a £20 million package to increase Defence Forces' pay through measures including the Independent Pay Commission, the Public Sector Pay Agreement, new pay scales and outstanding adjudications. He listed measures such as a 10% recommendation for the military service allowance, restoration of allowances cut under the Haddington Road Agreement, restoration of weekend premium rates, reintroduction of a pilot service commitment scheme valued at €22,000 per year, increased allowances for the Army Ranger Wing (an increase of €50 per week to €200 per week), increases for cooks (from €13.50 per week), a €65 weekly payment for another category, and ending charges for recruits and apprentices for rations and accommodation with a weekly saving of €43.63. The minister also noted that since 2016 the basic starting pay of three-star privates has increased by 31% and that a new soldier after six months training is on €28,685.
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Minister, you and others have rightly praised the role of our defence forces in the public health effort, fantastic work that they've done in areas like testing, tracing and obviously the bravery of forces on missions in Lebanon and Congo and elsewhere. But, you know, doesn't that praise just ring a little bit hollow when you consider the failure to really support our military personnel with decent pay and decent conditions? The figures are really damning because of the poor levels of pay, the cuts in allowances, the failure to restore many of the pay in allowances that were cut in the austerity period. And the Defence Force strength stands at 1,000 less than it needs to be. We have 610 unfilled vacancies at junior NCO ranks. Captains ranks stand at 77.6% of establishment and we no longer provide accommodation for many of our military personnel who are caught up in the, you know, the housing crisis that grips the rest of the country. And we stopped providing accommodation and refused to, for example, refurbish the married quarters that could provide affordable accommodation on base or near base for our military personnel. And then we don't either have the airlift capacity to bring troops back from the unifield mission and we have the ignominious situation where people out in a very dangerous situation, situation, military personnel out in a very dangerous situation in Chad have to essentially hitch a lift with the French in order to get home and have to leave, as I understand, to leave their weapons behind, loose all their ammunition and leave their weapons behind because they had to go on a civilian aircraft to get back because we don't have airlift capacity. Now, I very much, you know, welcome the fact that we don't have a jet to whisk ministers and t-shig around the place. But wouldn't it be a good idea to have airlift capacity for our military personnel, for the many thousands of our citizens that were stranded all around the world during the COVID-19 crisis, for mercy missions that we might wish to undertake? To have a bizarre situation where we don't have that key airlift capacity seems pretty crazy to me. So let's back up the rhetoric of support for our military personnel with decent pay, decent conditions, accommodation and airlift capacity to bring them home. Thank you very much, Deputy Deputy. I'd be very much in favour of airlift capacity. It would be fantastic to have it. Brilliant. Absolutely. But as you know, Deputy, it costs big money, but I'd be very much supportive of any government who would propose in buying that capacity. I'm delighted to be able to say that under my tenure in the Department, we've been able to invest some £265 million in aircraft for the Air Corps. Just on Defence Forces' pay, at the moment, they're able to deliver £20 million. Well, the government will deliver a £20 million package of measures to increase Defence Forces' pay through the Independent Pay Commission, the Public Sector Pay Agreement, the new engine pay scales, outstanding adjudications. We've put in place the high-level implementation plan. The Pay Commission's recommendation was an increase in military service allowance of 10%. Allowances cut under the Haddington Road Agreement restored. The weekend premium rates were restored. A pilot service commitment scheme, valued at €22,000 per year, has been reintroduced. Implemented outstanding adjudications, increasing allowances for the Army Ranger Wing, an increase by €50 per week to €200 per week. The Cooks, an increase from €13.50 per week, a count holder of €65 per week, and those not already in receipt of allowances, and ending the long-standing practice of charging recruits and apprentices for rations and accommodation, a weekly saving of €43.63. Other pay-related incentives include a tax credit for seagoing naval service personnel, exemptions from benefit-in-kind for health care provider members of the Defence Forces, and the exemption of the lifetime community rating loading for the private health care provider to officers. Let me say, Deputy, since 2016, the increased basic starting pay of three-star privates has increased by 31%. We are running out of time for Deputy Murphy. A new soldier starting now, after six-month training, is on €28,685. Absolutely, there is more that can be done. We have challenges, absolutely. I will be the first to recognise those. Thank you, Minister. We must move on. Sorry, please. Thank you.
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