Defence Forces suffering major shortage of chefs with navy worst hit

The navy is supposed to have a minimum of 54 chefs but it currently has just 37 and there are further 12 who have indicated they will quit the force by the end of this year. Picture: David Creedon

The Defence Forces is suffering a major shortage of chefs, with the navy, in particular, being so badly hit by a personnel exodus it will have fewer than half the 54 minimum required by the end of the year.

Chef vacancies are increasing across almost all of the Defence Forces as many personnel have quit for better pay and conditions in the private sector and more are about to follow suit.