Defence Force numbers at an all-time low

THE Defence Forces is at its lowest strength since the foundation of the state and officers, “who are double and treble-jobbing” to fill the void, have warned any further cuts will have very serious consequences for their ability to serve the nation’s interests

The warning was given yesterday by Colonel Brian O’Keeffe, general secretary of RACO, the representative organisation for 1,350 officers in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service.

Speaking at RACO’s biannual conference in Cork, Col O’Keeffe said the strength of the Defence Forces had drastically decreased, from a high of 15,000 in the 1980s to its current 9,500.

The Defence Forces have, in effect, become the victims of their own success for improving efficiencies and “going beyond the call of duty” in implementing Government-driven cost-cutting measures.

“The fact that our formal organisational structures are designed for a force of 11,500, while our actual numbers are nearer to 9,500, leaves us with an overstretched organisation peppered with gaps that arise in a manner that is virtually impossible to control or manage,” Col O’Keeffe said.

He said Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean McCann should have “automatic authority” to administer its budget and recruit or promote without the sanction of civil servants.

“There is a limit to the extent which you can reduce numbers without impacting on the organisation’s capabilities, Col O’Keeffe told junior minister for defence Paul Kehoe.

He said the army would naturally prefer recent barrack closures as a cost-cutting measure rather than reducing its number of soldiers.

“However, it would be an act of extreme cynicism if, having justified the closure of barracks by saying it was essential in order to maintain personnel numbers, the Government then failed to maintain those numbers,” said Col O’Keeffe.

RACO president Commandant Earnan Naughton told the conference officers were double- and treble-jobbing because of the Government’s failure to sanction promotions. He said there were vacancies across the board, including the very senior posts of Brigadier General and Major General.

“There is a limit to the number of appointments individual officers can be reasonably asked to take responsibility for,” Comdt Naughton said.

RACO was also critical of having to operate with a “fragmented” Defence Forces HQ, which was spread over five locations in three different counties.

Mr Kehoe, who was deputising for his senior colleague, Alan Shatter, said Mr Shatter was working closely with the OPW to try and centralise senior personnel “within the available resources”.