Troops petition Coveney not to dismiss them

For the first time in its history, the organisation which represents lower ranks in the Defence Forces has taken the unusual step of delivering a petition to the minister for defence over a decision to dismiss personnel in their 40s from the services.

Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) said hundreds face dismissal from the army, navy and air corps because they will no longer be able to serve when their are in their early 40s. Sergeants and higher ranks are entitled to serve until they are 50, but different contracts were drawn up in 1994 for privates and corporals.

They were only given a 21-year service contract. “Typically a person would join up when they’re around 19 or 20, so their service would be up when they were around 40,” general secretary Gerry Rooney said.