Naval Service’s Med rescuers still waiting for pay hike from ‘Scrooge’ Government

The Government has been accused of acting ‘Scrooge’ by not paying hard-pressed Naval Service personnel and agreed increased allowance before Christmas.

Several weeks ago the Department of Defence finally reached agreement with PDForra, which represents members of the Defence Forces, to provide crews who have saved more than 15,000 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea with an increased allowance for overseas duties.

PDForra had argued since the rescue operations got under way in May 2015 that the crews operating in the Mediterranean should be given the higher ‘armed allowance’ as they were carrying Steyr rifles and machine guns.