Some Defence Forces members ‘sleeping in their cars’

Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Conor O'Boyle has said he was surprised at Pdforra's suggestion this week that some soldiers were sleeping in their cars at barracks because they did not have the money for the fuel needed to drive home and back again the following morning.

He said anyone sleeping in their car should bring it to the attention of the chain of command and accommodation would be provided for them in their barracks.

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney said he planned to establish the full facts.

“If people are sleeping in their cars, I am very uncomfortable with that and it shouldn’t be happening.

“I would encourage any soldier that has had to sleep in his or her car to talk to the officer in charge in the barrack’s they’re working in. We do have accommodation... if there’s one thing the Defence Forces do very well it’s they stick together, they work together and they look after each other.”

A spokeswoman for the Defence Forces has said sleeping accommodation, with meals, were always available, adding those who found themselves in need should apply through the chain of command to access the facilities on offer.

The association representing soldiers, airmen and seamen, Pdforra has used its annual conference in Sligo to raise the issue of a small number of its members sleeping in their cars.

General secretary Gerry Rooney said a 20 per cent cut in take home pay due to pay cuts and increased taxes, coupled with the high price of fuel and low rates of pay for those just starting their careers in the Defence Forces meant some of his members were regularly running out of money.

And because the structure of the Defence Forces had been reorganised in recent years and barracks had been closed, some personnel were now required to drive large distances to and from work, leading to large weekly fuel bills.

For example, Pdforra said round trips from the border region to Dublin were not uncommon for those previously based much closer to home until their barracks were closed and they were transferred to Dublin.

Some were opting not to make the commute every day and to sleep in their cars overnight near their barracks instead.

Mr Rooney said while the numbers sleeping in their cars were small, with about five cases having come to light, he was hopeful those affected could be transferred into other postings closer to their homes and so fuel bills of hundreds of Euro per week would not arise.

News that some military personnel are sleeping in their cars follows revelations by the Garda staff associations in recent years that their members were also struggling and were sleeping in their vehicles to avoid incurring significant fuel bills.

Pdforra said about 20 per cent of its members, or between 1,500 and 1,600 personnel, were availing of the family income social welfare supplement; qualifying for it because their take home pay had fallen so much from its peak in 2009. The association was hopeful the general improvement in the Irish economy would usher in a new era where some of the measures that had put pressure on its members would be alleviated.