Quarter of Defence Forces members have served for five years or less

Raco highlighted that the Working Time Directive is being breached regularly in the Defence Forces. File Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The newly established Commission on Defence has been told the exodus of highly-trained personnel from the Defence Forces has to be addressed once and for all because nearly a quarter of all operational personnel in the Army, Air Corps, and Naval Service have served for five years or fewer.

Both military representative associations — Raco (officers) and PDForra (enlisted personnel) — have told members of the new commission about grave staffing levels and the Defence Forces cannot afford yet another commission or review where recommendations are not acted upon.