Sir, - I wish to express my total disgust at the continued attacks on members of the Irish Permanent Defence Forces and also the attacks on ex-service personnel with regards to the noise-induced deafness claims.
It's very sad indeed to read the material printed in the papers. It is very evident that it is published without any proper research or fair-minded consideration for the recipients of the attack.
When people join the Defence Forces (or Army as it was referred to years ago) they must be 100 per cent physically and mentally fit. A lesser standard is unacceptable and rightly so.
Ear protection was never mentioned to the soldier at any time during my service in the Defence Forces, over 21 years. I was a permanent fixture on all Army shooting teams with various weapons over the years in the Army and at no time while shooting on the range was I given any sort of ear protection or advised of the dangers or consequences of not having one's ears protected. Nor was any of my shooting associates. Now the current Minister for Defence is shifting the goalposts to try to get himself out of the hole dug by past governments when they failed to address the issue.
Serving and former members of the Defence Forces are not doing anything wrong by taking an action against their employer for damage caused by neglect. They have a legal and constitutional right to do so. It is a disgrace that the national newspapers, radio, and TV continue to make unfounded statements to get the public opinion tide flowing against the Defence Forces and ex-service members.
The ear examinations carried out by specialists both for the person making the claim and on behalf of the Minister for Defence and the Attorney General are very thorough and there is no way the examination could be faked. - Yours, etc.
From Austin Berry
National PRO, Organisation of National
Ex-Service Men and Women,
Athlone,
Co Westmeath.