Defence Force members want more family-friendly living options

PDForra members argue that the closure of a number of military installations and former onsite accommodation in recent years has weakened the 'recruiting bond' between the towns and their local communities. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

More on-base live-in accommodation is needed for Defence Forces' poorly-paid personnel than currently planned, while there is an urgency to provide married quarters to make the military more family-friendly.

That's according to PDForra, the association which represents 6,500 enlisted members of the Defence Forces.

Its members have argued - as have some senior officer sources who have spoken to the Irish Examiner - that the closure of a number of military installations and former onsite accommodation in recent years has weakened the 'recruiting bond' between the towns and their local communities.

The issue of 'lost presence' was also highlighted by Fine Gael TD David Stanton when he addressed an Oireachtas committee meeting with the chairman of the Commission on Defence, Aidan O'Driscoll.

Mr Stanton, a former officer in the Reserves Defence Forces, said when he was in the then FCA there were 15,000 reservists, but that figure had dwindled to one-tenth and he maintained this was connected in some part to barrack closures around the country in recent decades.

PDForra president Mark Keane said the provision of suitable 'married quarters' must be seen as a very strong asset for the Defence Forces, as it would also enable "a certain degree of flexibility when it comes to the deployment of personnel throughout the State in response to any unfolding events, or in their role as aid to the Civil Power (gardaí) in the event of natural disasters."

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The Department of Defence is to refurbish an old Victorian-era block in Haulbowline naval base in Cork harbour to accommodate poorly-paid young sailors, many of whom are living on ships in their downtime, because they can't afford rents in the towns and villages in the surrounding area.

The Department of Defence has also earmarked a number of other military installations for upgrading on live-in quarters. However, unlike many other militaries around the world, especially the Americans and British, it has virtually ignored the provision of married quarters for its personnel.

“Whilst we welcome the move to provide new accommodation for Naval Service personnel on Haulbowline Island, PDForra feel that there's a need for continued investment in the Naval base. As the Naval Service attracts recruits from the 32 counties, it's imperative to have in place the requisite facilities,” Mr Keane said.

He pointed out that both PDForra and the military authorities are seeking an increase in the strength of the Defence Forces and now is the time to provide proper live-in accommodation for poorly-paid young soldiers, sailors and aircrews and their families.

This was the case some years ago when the base and others like it had family accommodation, shops and a school for children of military personnel on-site.

"Now is the time to build and plan for the future. We should be looking at increasing the availability of accommodation at all barracks and especially for our members who are serving afloat,” he said.

In the 1970s, a number of Naval Service families lived on Haulbowline Island and had their own school.