SOME MEMBERS of the Defence Forces have been reduced to living in “poverty” because of Government levies and have been forced to apply for social welfare payments to alleviate their difficulties, their representative organisation has said.
PDforra, which represents soldiers, sailors and air crew, believes many of its members are facing “intolerable” hardship that will lead to widespread house repossessions if any further taxes or levies are imposed.
The association’s president Willie Webb said soldiers, like other workers on modest incomes, had already seen their take-home pay greatly reduced over the past year. Any attempt to impose further levies and taxes would be resisted.
“PDforra can no longer stand by and watch its members’ pay and conditions eroded to such an extent that large sections of our membership are reduced to pure poverty and qualify for family income supplement,” he said.
He told the closing session of PDforra’s annual conference in Tullow, Co Carlow, that house repossessions had already become an issue for some of the association’s members.
While workers on modest incomes were struggling the Government was bailing out the banking sector and giving “huge golden handshakes of billions of euro to failed heads of departments along with huge pensions”.
PDforra general secretary Gerry Rooney, told delegates the levies already imposed meant some military personnel on modest incomes were now paying levies in the region of €2,500.
“Since the beginning of the year a Private soldier on a very modest €31,500 is now paying €2,345 per annum more in health, income and pension levies and €1,400 of this is down to the pension levy, which is effectively a pay cut.” His members had already paid their “fair share of the burden” of the recession. It was now time for the Government to focus on other sections of society who are in a position to pay more.
“The ending or curtailing of reliefs for landlords, approved retirement funds for very wealthy individuals and property based tax incentive schemes would potentially yield hundreds of millions for the State.” Delegates at the conference also heard the Defence Forces is facing further cuts in the upcoming budget.
PDforra deputy general secretary Simon Devereaux said the organisation was concerned that more barracks would be closed to cut costs following the closure of five barracks near the Border.
Mr Devereaux said when the five facilities – in Dublin, Donegal, Longford and Monaghan – were closed earlier this year, PDforra members were given very little notice that their place of work was to change.
To compound an already unacceptable situation, the barracks the affected troops were sent to were “not in the necessary state” to facilitate the new arrivals.
Mr Devereaux said many members of the Defence Forces now feared further barrack closures as part of the Government’s efforts to cut costs.
“The recent Bord Snip report commented specifically on the possibility of closing Cathal Brugha Barracks, something PDforra would not support,” Mr Devereaux said.
“This is now the only major barracks in Dublin city, a barracks with a long and proud tradition which should not be closed.” Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea told delegates the savings to be achieved in the budget would be implemented across all Government departments.
However, he would impress on his Cabinet colleagues the savings already achieved by the Defence Forces over the past 10 years. Capability would be retained within the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps.