Govt accused of trying to get 'defence on the cheap'

Detailed summary

The Government is being called on to end the exclusion of senior Defence Force officers from allowances for overtime, or to end the practice of rostering them for duties…

The Government is being called on to end the exclusion of senior Defence Force officers from allowances for overtime work, or to end the practice of rostering them for duties attracting such allowances.

The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) has made the call as the Defence Forces are deployed on Operation Fianna, the security operation for the European Political Community and European Council meetings taking place in Dublin today and tomorrow.

RACO said that senior officers, from the rank of Commandant/Naval Lieutenant Commander and above, are commanding the Joint Task Force and its land, maritime and air components.

"They are directing counter-drone and air defence operations, leading maritime and air patrols, overseeing EOD and specialist operations, and coordinating with An Garda Síochána, Government departments and international partners," according to RACO.

"They do this alongside, and often in command of, junior officers and enlisted personnel who receive security duty allowances at the rate of €68 per day before tax for the same operation.

"The Department of Defence has directed that the senior officers will receive nothing, and expect them to work for free defending and protecting European leaders," the association added.

RACO General Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Conor King said the risk and the hours do not shrink because of the rank on someone's shoulder.

"If anything, the senior officer carries the ultimate responsibility for the people and the outcome," Lt Col King said.

"It is simply unfair that an officer commanding personnel who receive these payments is excluded from it on rank alone," he added.

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