Major manpower shortage means Defence Forces wage bill is €40m lower than it should be

PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan said the shortage in personnel is having a direct impact on his members in terms of work/life balance.

The Department of Defence is saving over €40m on wages due to a large number of vacancies in the Defence Forces.

Currently, the Defence Forces are around 1,000 personnel short of the minimum strength of 9,500.

PDForra, which represents enlisted personnel, has obtained a breakdown of these vacancies at private, corporal, and sergeant level.

• At private level, there is a shortage of 364 people. At a pay rate of €680 per week before tax, there is a shortfall of €12.9m per year in wages;
• There is a shortage of 331 corporals. At an average wage of €790 per week, that equates to a €13.64m saving per year;
• There is a shortage of 300 sergeants or navy petty officers. At an average wage of €841 per week, that is a saving of €13.1m per year;
• There is a shortfall of 14 higher ranked company sergeants or chief petty officers, resulting in a saving of €710,065 per year at an average weekly wage of €972;
• There is also a shortfall of six company quarter master sergeants or navy senior petty officers, resulting in a saving of €299,617.

In total, that equates to an overall saving of €40,734,837. The department is also saving huge money on pension contributions.

PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan said the shortage in personnel is having a direct impact on his members in terms of work/life balance.

More and more people are saying they intend to quit the Defence Forces because the strain of having to plug gaps all the time is getting too much.

“It's a vicious cycle and people are burning out,” Mr Guinan said.

On top of this, a 700-strong cohort of highly experienced soldiers still don't know if they will be forced out of military service next year.

They were part of a batch of personnel, known as the Post-94s, who were given shorter-term contracts which are due to expire in December 2022.

“In such a climate [already 1,000 personnel short] it would be illogical for the Department of Defence to discharge highly-qualified and experienced troops,” Mr Guinan said.

Defence Minister Simon Coveney still has not reached a decision on whether these troops will be kept on, although he recently said he hoped to have a decision for them shortly.

Increasing pressure on the 8,500 left in the Defence Forces is leading to a heavier workload and in some cases mandatory selection for certain duties away from their home base as well as on overseas peacekeeping missions. 

Sergeants, in particular, are suffering as a result of this.

Mr Guinan said this was causing increased stress for these personnel and in particular their families.