Naval Service crews finally get Med duty allowance

Naval Service personnel, who have saved more than 15,000 migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, are to get an allowance they were entitled to after a two-year battle.

The Department of Defence had consistently refused to pay the crews the recognised armed overseas allowance, saying they were not entitled to it as they were on a humanitarian mission.

However, PDforra, the organisation which represents enlisted seamen, said they were clearly entitled to the allowance, which will be worth around €1,200 to each sailor who went on the mission.