Defence Forces pay cuts "have gone too far"

The body which represents members of the Defence Forces says pay cuts have gone too far".

The Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) says that about 20% of its 8,000 members now qualify for Family Income Supplements and are "clearly not getting adequate pay levels to provide for their families".

The organisation says members of the Defence Forces are now suffering unnecessary stress over how to provide for their families.

President of PDFORRA Mark Scally says the cuts are harming the family life of its members.

"The majority of them that would be under family income supplements probably will come under medical card services, the DPS cards etc," he said.

"With the new structuring of the Defence Forces with a three- to a two-brigade structure, a lot of our members are being sent to other barracks throughout the country.

"And because they don't have that much money and they are on family income supplement it means then they probably have to stay away from their family from Monday to Friday."