Defence Forces: Cutbacks hitting ability to defend security of State

It’s been claimed that due to a raft of cuts, the military can’t defend the security of the State to the same extent it did five years ago and would be under pressure to cope if the threat from subversives increases.

The claim was made yesterday by the general secretary of PDFORRA, the representative organisation for 8,000 rank-and-file members of the army, naval service and air corps.

Gerry Rooney said only a few years ago the Defence Forces’ strength was at 12,700, but has been cut by almost 25% to 8,900 — which is below the agreed minimum level of 9,500.

While he welcomed the fact that recruitment of a further 600 would be completed before the end of the year, Mr Rooney was concerned this will only bring numbers to the required level for a short period.

He said retirements would eat into manning levels.

Defence spending has reduced by 22% from €877 million in 2008 to €688m this year.

PDFORRA president Willie Webb said the Defence Forces had been cut to such an extent “that sadly it’s no longer fit for purpose”.

Junior Minister forDefence Paul Kehoe, who was deputising at the PDFORRA annual conference for an ill Minister Alan Shatter, maintained suppressing the threat of dissidents “would be kept top of the (Government’s) agenda”.

However, Mr Kehoe couldn’t say how many retirements would take place in the Defence Forces in the next three years and if manning levels would again drop below the minimum 9,500.

He denied morale in the military was at a low ebb and said he was very disappointed to hear PDFORRA claim the Defence Forces were no longer fit for purpose.

PDFORRA had called for the Government to row back on reducing the army from three to two brigades. But Mr Kehoe told conference delegates “there can be no turning back” on that decision.

Mr Rooney claimed “there was a great deal of confusion” about the reorganisation of the brigades and how personnel were going to be reassigned to different areas or retrained to fit into particular units.

Mr Kehoe denied there was any confusion and claimed the reorganisation was being “carried out in a very professional way”.

Defence Forces chief of staff, Lieutenant General Sean McCann, said it’s anticipated the main elements of the reorganisation will be completed by Nov 30 and that this had to be achieved “whilst minimising any negative effects” on military personnel and their families.