Navy head seeks higher duty allowance for personnel on Mediterranean rescue missions

The head of the Naval Service is supporting a call that personnel working on humanitarian rescue missions in the Mediterranean be given a higher overseas duty allowance.

The call for an increased allowance, made by Flag Officer Commodore Hugh Tully, has been welcomed by PDforra, which represents enlisted men in the navy.

At its annual conference in Galway last month, PDforra said naval crews working in the Mediterranean should be entitled to an €80-a-day allowance because the ships and personnel are armed. They currently receive the €55-per-day unarmed mission allowance.

PDforra assistant general secretary Gerard Guinan said yesterday that Commodore Tully’s intervention “would appear to vindicate the position taken by PDforra in relation to the allowances”.

Commodore Tully pointed out that the crews have encountered some very upsetting scenes, including having to recover the bodies of refugees who have either drowned or been crushed to death in the holds of barges.

At the PDforra conference, Defence Minister Simon Coveney said he would be happy to send the claim for increased allowances to arbitration and, if a decision fell in favour of a higher allowance, his department would pay.

He also said he would pay it retrospectively, meaning the crews of LÉ Eithne and LÉ Niamh would receive the additional money, as would the crew of LÉ Samuel Backett, currently on operations in the Med.

Mr Coveney said it could take a couple months before there was a decision from the arbitration committee.

Mr Guinan said he hopes the department agrees to pay the increased claim and that this would be handed to crews before Christmas.

PDforra had previously made a submission to the department seeking the higher allowance, but department officials refused to budge.

This was earlier in the year when LÉ Eithne became the first Irish navy ship in history to take part in an overseas humanitarian mission. At the time, PDforra general secretary Gerry Rooney said “it was regrettable that the Department of Defence has not recognised the excellent service of the crew of the LÉ Eithne on humanitarian and rescue duties in a meaningful manner in the negotiations”.

It is believed that paying the additional allowances would cost the Department of Defence only slightly over €250,000.

A Naval Service spokesman said it would not be appropriate for Commodore Tully to comment on the issue.

“Flag Officer Commodore Hugh Tully has taken a formal position on the matter and has relayed that position through the chain of command. It would be inappropriate to comment on such matters outside the chain of command,” the spokesman said.

The crew of LÉ Samuel Beckett are to return from their mission on December 4. At that stage the Government will reassess the mission, but it seems likely a further ship will be sent back to the Mediterranean in the spring, when the weather improves and provides an opportunity for smugglers to put refugee-laden boats back in the water.

It is believed the Naval Service is already making arrangements to send another ship in the likelihood that the Government will approve continuing the humanitarian mission.