‘No border duties’ but allowance to cost State €4m this year
He said 33 officers currently received a weekly border allowance of €111.97, and 796 enlisted personnel received €96.23 per week, along with their usual earnings.
The State continues to pay the allowance — which gives an additional €5,822 to officers on an annual basis and €5,000 annually to enlisted personnel — in spite of the sharply reduced threat of subversive violence.
In a written Dáil response to Fianna Fáil’s Seán Fleming, Mr Shatter said: “The department sought to cease payment of this allowance under the modernisation agenda contained in the Towards 2016 Defence Sector Action Plan.
“Following disagreement between the department and the representative associations, this issue went to third-party adjudication.
“The adjudicator found in favour of the association and ruled that the allowance should be retained on a personal to holder basis for those who were in receipt of it on Feb 3, 2009.
“There have been no new recipients since this date and the allowance is being phased out as current holders retire or leave the Defence Forces.
“Based on current recipients the cost of border duty allowance for 2012 is estimated at €4m. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is undertaking a review of allowances and premium payments across the public sector. I understand that Minister Howlin will bring proposals to Government shortly on this issue.”
Most of the recipients are attached to three barracks in the border region: Cavan, Dundalk, and Finner Camp in Co Donegal.
Last night, Mr Fleming said: “I don’t believe that there is a business case for this allowance at all. We have a border allowance, but no border duties.”
He said that the vast majority of personnel in the army did not receive the allowance and that the correct move was made to try to eliminate the allowance, but this failed in arbitration.
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