The Government is sending Ireland's elite troops to "one of the most dangerous places in the world" but is refusing to pay them increased allowances agreed by independent arbitration in 2010.

The disparity in pay and conditions between An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces involved in protecting visiting VIPs was again highlighted yesterday.

The Defence Forces are carrying out an investigation into claims that a number of its personnel were denied their constitutional right to vote in the local or European elections, because they didn't receive postal votes in time.

Proposed increases in allowances for members of the Defence Forces could make the retention and recruitment crisis worse, not better, it has been warned.

Members of the country's Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) are being paid on average 18% less than the rates being given to their counterparts in the regular forces.

A row over pay has overshadowed the largest commissioning of officers in the Defence Forces’ history.

The organisation representing members of the Defence Forces is still waiting for a reply after raising concerns about the exposure of members of the Air Corps to cancer- causing toxins.

Around 7,500 enlisted members of the Defence Forces are to be reimbursed a collective €2.25m following a long-running battle to have the dry-cleaning of their uniforms recognised as a legitimate expense.

Three test cases are being brought before the High Court in an attempt to force the Government to ensure that people serving in the Defence Forces can carry over all their annual leave entitlements from one year to the next.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) will not prosecute the Naval Service after some of its personnel were exposed to asbestos during maintenance work onboard ships last year.

Support measures must be put in place to help hundreds of soldiers, sailors and airmen who are set to be dismissed from the Defence Forces.