Up to 80 soldiers will be ‘forced’ to resign

Up to 80 soldiers currently based at Collins Barracks, Cork, will have to resign or relocate to Limerick or Kilkenny under Defence Forces’ rationalisation plans, it has been claimed.

Gerry Rooney, general secretary of PDforra, the body which represents rank- and-file members, said such a move could place costs of €5,000 on already hard- pressed soldiers.

The army is reducing its brigade strength from three to two and, as part of that, is axing the 4th Infantry Battalion which is based in Cork.