Tánaiste urged to convene Council of Defence over inability to put naval ships to sea 

One of the Russian-flagged ships seen in Irish waters in recent days. Picture: Óglaigh na hÉireann

The former second-in-command of the Army Ranger Wing has called on Defence Minister Micheál Martin to reconvene the Council of Defence.

Cathal Berry says a meeting is urgently needed in light of the Naval Service’s inability to put ships to sea particularly when Russian vessels were sitting off the Irish coast over the weekend. All of the naval service's vessels remained in dock.

The Independent Kildare South TD said Mr Martin should “hurry up” and pay naval service personnel the money they have been seeking for more than five years.

As numerous government-commissioned reports have discovered, poor pay is seen as one of the single most important reasons why the naval service can’t keep staff.

Two recent government-commissioned reports have already recommended better pay and conditions.

“This is a pay issue,” he said. “The government needs to pay its naval service staff better. It really is that simple. People simply cannot afford to work in the naval service anymore and the fact that so many have left has only increased the burden on those left behind.

“Naval service personnel are discovering that not only can they get paid many times better in the private sector, but they can also get paid so much better in other arms of the public sector. Micheál Martin needs to take out the chequebook and sign. In an instant, he can sort out a huge issue that has been left to fester for so long.”

Council of Defence

In the meantime, though, he also said the Council of Defence needs to be convened.

Under the Defence Acts, Mr Martin can convene the Council of Defence or the Council of State to advise him on defence issues.

Mr Berry said: “We need the government to take the matter seriously. This isn't an industrial relations issue.

“This is a national security issue and it's a major strategic blind spot for us. We are responsible for 15% of EU waters but we're not taking that responsibility seriously.

“Every other country in Europe recognizes the situation has changed and is increasing their defence security capability.

“We're doing the opposite and just allowing it to stay in freefall.

“The day of reckoning is coming and the Russians are using our economic waters and almost also our territorial waters as a playground and just laughing at us, laughing at Europe.”

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Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) President Mark Keane said: "We have been warning the government for years now that the naval service would be hit by a perfect storm. We told them this at least five years ago, and now we are in that perfect storm.

"They just need to pay people a proper salary and do what their own reports have recommended they do - which is sort out the allowances and pay people more money.

"They need to make it attractive to work in the Naval Services."

He pointed out that in February 2022, the Commission on Defence recommended that Patrol Duty Allowances (PDAs), Maritime Tax Credits and payments under the Sea Service Commitment Scheme should be amalgamated into one single payment.

If they did this, this could greatly enhance sailors' pay.

The recommendation was also followed by a High Level Implementation Plan, which was supposed to reverse cuts that followed the banking crash.