20% of Defence Force need benefits

One-in-five members of the Defence Forces depend on state benefits to feed their families due to deep pay cuts in recent years.

PDforra, the organisation representing soldiers, sailors, and aircrew of the Defence Forces, said about 1,300 of its 6,500 membership now qualify for the family income supplement (FIS).

Speaking at the group’s annual conference in Wexford, PDforra president Mark Scally said the number of Defence Force members in need of state handouts was “clear evidence” that pay cuts had gone too far and said similar cuts in the late 1980s led to the establishment of PDforra.