The Government is to significantly increase allowances for Naval Service personnel in an effort to address the retention crisis.
The announcement was made during the annual delegate conference of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (Raco), which heard retention of personnel is at crisis point as trained officers depart for better pay and conditions in the private sector.
The Government cannot “ignore the fact that the Defence Forces has been in a state of slow, seemingly irreversible decline for almost a decade; indeed, the attrition rate is intensifying, as the rate of reduction in strength clearly shows,” Raco general secretary Lt Col Conor King told delegates.
The Naval Service has been particularly impacted. It is currently only able to put two of its eight ships to sea due to a lack of personnel. It has 775 personnel, 70 per cent of its establishment strength.
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The level and complexity of the Patrol Duty Allowance system for sailors while at sea has long been a source of frustration for military representative organisations.
The new allowances will see sailors receive €130 per day after 10 consecutive days at sea, double the previous amount. On average naval patrols last 20 days.
According to figures from the Department of Defence, the allowances will see annual pay for a junior naval officer increase to €67,800 if they have a graduate degree and complete the maximum of 165 days at sea. For a junior enlisted sailor, potential annual earnings rise to €58,580.
Minister of State for Defence Jack Chambers said the increase will help the Defence Forces get ships back to sea. He said it is in addition to tax credits for naval personnel and the planned introduction of the EU working time directive, a key demand of Raco.
Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lt Gen Seán Clancy welcomed the increase and said it is a “significant positive step” towards the regeneration of the Naval Service. He said it is a recognition of the hardship ensured by navy personnel.
“The maritime domain in terms of national security is a significant resource that the State has to oversee,” he said.
While the increase in naval allowances has been welcomed by Raco members, there remains considerable frustration over issues relating to pensions, allowances for overseas service and the slow implementation of the working time directive.
The conference heard a lack of instructors and other personnel creates safety risks for personnel. One officer said 25 per cent of his commissioning class from 10 years ago have left the service.
“It’s not that they want to leave. They have to leave,” he said.
There were calls for greater incentives for overseas service on missions such as Unifil in Lebanon given the increased danger participants face amid ongoing violence in the Middle East. Cmdt Ronan O’Reilly said there has not been a full review of overseas allowances for 20 years.
Military management is increasingly relying on mandatorily selecting personnel for overseas service instead of relying on volunteers.
“When people have to be forced to go overseas against their will or against their wishes, then something is wrong,” Raco president Cmdt Martin Ryan said.
The conference heard a trip overseas was once enough to earn enough for a deposit on a house, but that this is “not remotely the case today”.
Cmdt Bridget Clarke called for measures to make it easier for officers to volunteer for “family friendly” deployments which typically last for three months instead of six.
There were also calls for a full-time Minister for Defence at the Cabinet table. Tánaiste Micheál Martin currently holds the position alongside the Foreign Affairs portfolio. He was unable to attend the Raco conference due to his visit to Israel and Palestine in response to the current conflict there.
Cmdt Ryan said it is “arguably unfair to expect any Minister to perform both demanding roles” and noted a survey this week showing 95 per cent of Raco members want to see a full-time Minister for Defence.
