THE GENERAL SECRETARY of a military officers’ group has launched a stinging attack on “dismissive” and “frustrating” civil servants from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER).
Lieutenant Colonel Conor King of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) made the comments in opening remarks before the Joint Committee on Defence and Foreign Affairs this afternoon.
King and his colleagues from the body, which represents officers across the Irish Defence Forces, were before the committee a week after an appearance by Chief of Staff Lt Gen Seán Clancy and Department of Defence (DOD) General Secretary Jacqui McCrum.
During that appearance a new strategic framework planning document was revealed to committee members.
This lengthy document looks at key programmes and strategies to bring the Irish Defence Forces into the modern era.
The RACO representatives covered a large number of topics around the crisis in Defence including recruitment and retention, pay, and conditions of service including working times.
They also discussed poor pension entitlements for officers who joined the Irish military after 2013 – a problem which has also been raised by other organisations including the Garda Representative Association and enlisted member representative group PDFORRA.
His strongest criticism was for officials from DPER, which is now known as the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.
King spoke about comments by Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who is Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, in which he said that the priority for the Defence Forces’ transformation programme was around culture change.
An Independent Review Group report published earlier this year found complaints and detailed claims of sexual assaults, bullying and other toxic behaviours in the Irish Defence Forces.
King said that RACO “thoroughly endorse” the work being done around culture change but then attacked members of the civil service which King claimed were frustrating efforts to find a solution to key industrial relations issues.
RACO are presently involved in a review of how the group raises industrial relations issues, known as the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme.
“However, this cultural change (of the Defence Forces) must include the senior management of the Departments of Defence and Public Expenditure, whose dismissive, apathetic and frustrating approach to our conciliation and arbitration scheme has manifested itself in a complete abuse of a dominant position,” he said.
He cautioned that if the interactions with DPER are not reformed that the scheme will be “dead”.
King also welcomed the news of a defence investment programme. As revealed last week by The Journal a number major projects are underway and would likely be completed by 2028.
But King voiced caution and said the announcements of the plans alone will not solve the problems of the Irish Defence Forces.
“Promises of a bright future are welcome and indeed necessary, but our members are becoming accustomed to false dawns.
“The Defence Forces have been in a state of slow decline for almost a decade, and it has reached the point where this is becoming irreversible; indeed, the attrition rate is intensifying, as the rate of reduction in strength clearly shows.
“Numerous reviews and Commissions have touched on the root cause of this decline, without addressing it – the failure to adequately resource Defence in order to retain highly qualified and experienced personnel to maintain capability,” he added.
King questioned the ambition of having a Defence Forces personnel level of 11,500 by 2028 – citing the current figure standing at 9,600 despite efforts to recruit.
He said he believes it is impossible to end the staffing crisis without developing retention measures to prevent those currently in service from leaving.
King added that he believes that when education courses, sick leave and overseas postings as well as other impacts are taken into account the Irish Army is not able to “reach 50%” on an average day.
The General Secretary said that last week’s MV Matthew operation had shown that members could achieve a successful mission with “just one ship, one helicopter, and highly qualified personnel”.
“Imagine what could be achieved if the Defence Forces was properly resourced for its current establishment, never mind the 2028 ambitions.
“The success of last week highlights the positive contribution that the Defence Forces, and its dedicated personnel, can make to the State. Without adequately trained, motivated, and incentivised personnel, the Defence Forces cannot contribute anything,” he added.
King said the reality of the reduced numbers was having a profound impact and causing personnel to suffer unsustainable levels of stress.
“The Army is struggling to fulfil its assigned tasks, domestically and internationally. Ships are unable to go to sea and aircraft are not flying as a result of personnel shortages.
“Yet the organisation continues to prioritise costly, labour intensive recruitment policies in favour of tangible retention initiatives. The unsustainably high turnover rate and assumption of additional tasks such as the EU Battlegroup leads to the creation of a crippling operational and training tempo for remaining service personnel,” he added.
King said that measures can be taken now by Government to enable the Defence Forces to get out of the difficult retention crisis.
He referenced Patrol Duty Allowance, which is a specific payment to Naval Service sailors who work at sea.
“It is for Government to decide whether we are finally going to take the security of our State seriously and resource and retain our Defence Forces personnel,” he said.
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