Defence Forces numbers nearly a quarter below the minimum

The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers heard that officers currently serving in training institutions are working 17 hours above the average working week in the civil service. File photo: Sam boal/RollingNews.ie

The latest figures show there are just 7,399 personnel in the Defence Forces which is 77% of the minimum they should have.

There are also fears it will be an uphill battle for the Government to reach its target of 11,500 within four years.

The Government has set a target to employ a further 400 next year, which has been welcomed by the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) which represents commissioned officers in the Defence Forces.

However, the association’s general secretary Lieutenant Colonel Conor King has warned the haemorrhaging of personnel will only be halted by retaining the talent they have and can only be accomplished by immediate implementation of the Working Time Directive (WTD) for the military.

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin approved its implementation last February and now promised it will come into force before the end of the year.

But RACO is calling for it to be introduced immediately. Lt Col King said this is vital to “provide transparency and predictability of working conditions and ensure Defence Forces personnel of all ranks are fairly remunerated for the time they work".

He also highlighted that one of the major stumbling blocks to officer retention is that those who joined up post-2013 have reduced pensions compared to their older colleagues.

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His association’s call for action to remedy this has been endorsed by Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy who has advocated for the introduction of an occupational supplementary pension to make up the shortfall.

Lt Col King told the association’s conference that inadequate staffing levels in operational units “remains a pressing concern". He said there’s “a growing void of experience within the officer corps”, caused by the high turnover of seasoned personnel.

“This lack of retention is not just an operational issue; it’s eroding the knowledge and leadership that is vital to the stability of Óglaigh na hÉireann," he said. 

Not only has this risk not been addressed by credible or effective retention strategies, but it has worsened, further straining the resolve of our officers. It is a concern that can no longer be ignored.

RACO is also concerned about the “slow progress” in implementing the 2022 Commission on the Defence Forces recommendations to address the personnel crisis and enhance military capability.

Mr Martin announced agreement on the introduction of financial incentives for officer instructors who are essential to drive the much-needed recruitment effort. This was welcomed by RACO who have been seeking this for a number of years.

Earlier, RACO president Commandant Martin Ryan had pointed out that officers currently serving in training institutions were recorded last month as working an average 54 hours.

He said that is 17 hours above the average working week in the civil service, in breach of WTD, and this extra time wasn’t being compensated for.