Up to 500 Defence Forces jobs to go in re-organisation
In a move the minster said was necessary due to the financial problems facing the country, Ireland’s army will see its three brigades merged into two units over the coming months.
Under the measure, Cork will lose 64 troops as groups like the 4th Infantry Battalion will be stood down.
The south, east, and west brigades will also be re-structured into southern and northern units to maintain a 9,500 staff ceiling.
As a result, army representatives have said 500 jobs are now on the line as part of the cutbacks being imposed.
Mr Shatter has insisted his controversial re-organisation of the army will not result in more barracks being closed.
However, despite ongoing criticism over the impact this will have on the army and those working within it, Mr Shatter said the steps were necessary.
“The purpose of the re-organisation is to retain the capacity of the permanent Defence Forces to fulfil the roles assigned to the greatest extent possible within the strength ceiling of 9,500 and the signific-antly reduced resource envelope resulting from the fiscal difficulties of the State.
“No reduction in the strength of the permanent Defence Force will result from the announcement.”
Under the re-organisation plan, there will be a southern brigade with barracks in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Kilkenny; and a northern brigade with barracks in Dublin, Athlone, Donegal, Meath, and Louth.
A total of 200 extra troops will be deployed in Limerick, 145 in Kilkenny, and 178 in Galway. However, Cork will lose 64, Athlone 96, and the Curragh 46.
Responding to the news, soldiers’ representative group PDFORRA stressed its “bitter disappointment and concern”.
The group’s general secretary, Gerry Rooney, said: “The decision to reduce the Defence Forces to two brigades and shut down 500 jobs has little justification.
“When we consider the roles and duties of the Defence Forces, both at home and overseas it is difficult to find any level of justification for this decision.
“We are particularly concerned about the impact this will have on our members in the Athlone and Dublin areas.”
A senior army officer said the “devil will be in the detail” when it came to the exact implications of the restructuring for soldiers, as it would involve significant re-locations.
“They’re [Department of Defence] hoping to start the process in September, but when the full impact of this becomes known to NCOs and the privates, I think there will be major challenges.”
Alan Shatter last night defended his decision to refuse a request by the organisers of the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin for a Defence Forces guard of honour to take part in an event.
Mr Shatter hit out at former defence minister Willie O’Dea, who attacked him over the decision.
The winds of change in Ireland, said Mr Shatter, seemed to have bypassed Mr O’Dea.
Mr O’Dea accused Mr Shatter of “blind prejudice” in refusing a request for an army guard of honour for a procession. He said it should have been granted in accordance with a long-standing tradition of Defence Forces participation in Church ceremonies.
Mr O’Dea said: “It demonstrates a strange petty-mindedness by Mr Shatter, which I must say does not surprise me. His response to the request seems like one of blind prejudice and his reaction totally inappropriate.”
Responding to Mr O’Dea in a statement last night, Mr Shatter said today’s Ireland was a very different place to the Ireland of the 1930s.
Mr Shatter said: “It is a more inclusive and tolerant place, and substantial change has occurred both North and South. On the particular issue commented upon by Deputy O’Dea, in today’s Ireland, it is no longer considered appropriate that an important institution of the State such as the Defence Forces participate in a Eucharistic procession.
“It seems that the wind of change has bypassed Deputy O’Dea. It is sad that a former government minister and a member of the Fianna Fáil frontbench can demonstrate such poor judgement in his pursuit of personal publicity.”
— Jimmy Woulfe
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