Defence Forces officers have "lost faith" in government

The Defence Forces has been hit by vacancies in bomb disposal, specialist communications and marine engineers.Photo Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The association representing Defence Forces officers says it has lost faith in the government's willingness to address the retention and recruitment crisis and declared the government's promise of a suite of reports to fix it as “a whitewash.”

RACO (Representative Association for Commissioned Officers) said eight out of 15 reports promised under the Government High Level Implementation Plan are behind schedule.

RACO general secretary Commandant Conor King said that given the urgent need to arrest the recruitment and retention crisis, this was “a catastrophic failure.”

The strength of the Defence Forces continues to drop on a daily basis. It is now less than 8,500, the lowest number it has been in more than 50 years. Poor pay and conditions are being cited repeatedly by those who have left.

Comdt King said in keeping with the lack of urgency that has characterised the implementation of this plan, the Strategic HR Group, which was overseeing it, did not meet until November 2019 - at least four months late.

“It would appear that those charged with the delivery and execution of the High Level Implementation Plan 'Strengthening our Defence Forces' have reneged on their solemn commitment, made on July 4, 2019 to the (military) representative associations and more importantly to the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann, to ‘Strengthen Our Defence Forces',” he said.

Many of the reports were due to have been completed months ago, including a review of Defence Forces recruitment processes which should have been completed by January 4, and provision of additional specialist posts in certain areas where there is a high turnover rate.

That project should have been finished by October 4 last.

In particular, the Defence Forces is suffering from a high level of vacancies in highly-technical areas, including aircraft technicians, bomb disposal, specialist communications and marine engineers. Many have left for better-paid jobs in the public sector.

The government announced the setting up of the High Level Implementation Group around the time that the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) recommended some increases in allowance for Defence Forces personnel, but no increase in core pay for what are the poorest paid public servants.

The increase in allowances allowed for an additional €3 per day on average. However, that was taxable.

At the time RACO stated that it feared that the "meagre nature" of the awards would act as a catalyst for further departures.

“We said at the time that the measure of the success or failure of the plan would be seen in the trend in Defence Forces strength. Sadly, this plan has not been delivered, and RACO’s fears have come true,” Comdt King said.