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The Journal
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Outgoing military chief: Irish Defence Forces personnel must 'push through' short term disruption
IN HIS FAREWELL address to the troops, the head of the Irish military, has told them to be committed to the Defence Forces change programme and 'push through' short term disruptions. Lieutenant General Seán Clancy is leaving his job as Chief of Staff to take up the chair of the Brussels based EU Military Committee . He is to be replaced by Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy who will take over in June. In a recent address at the PDFORRA annual delegate conference in Kerry, Mulcahy said there are significant gaps in Irish capability that needs to be filled. Clancy issued a video farewell message this morning to all personnel across the Army, Naval Service and Irish Air Corps. He spoke of his 'great sense of gratitude and reflection' and the privilege of serving through a period 'filled with challenges, transformation but also with countless moments of pride'. In his speech he spoke directly to the troops and told them to be steadfast in the implementation of the change and modernisation programme. 'We have gone beyond the crossroads of change and we are now committed to the transformation of our forces. 'The world around us and our operating environment have changed fundamentally and we must not only keep pace with these changes, we must lead the way. Advertisement 'We must be open minded and recognise that for the first time in all of our careers this period of change is marked by full political and public support. This is a unique moment and a unique opportunity for each of us and for Óglaigh na hÉireann,' he said. He asked the troops to push through 'any short term plan or disruption in order to realise the potential of this change'. Lt Gen Clancy (left) with Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris as Brig Gen Rossa Mulcahy took over as Chief of Staff. Irish Defence Forces Irish Defence Forces Clancy spoke positively of the change programme to date, saying that already there has been a major building programme as well as individual soldiers, air crew and sailors getting bumps in wages as well as healthcare. 'At an organisational level there are positive green shoots appearing with major projects advancing in the area of capability development, new structures and units and work well progressed in the areas of future force design,' he said. Clancy called out issues of abuse and bullying identified in reports and by members who went public. He called the treatment of those people as 'wholly unacceptable'. He said he is 'unapologetic' in his approach to 'stamping out [that] behaviour' and said he was heartened to have received support from the membership. He recalled the murder of Private Seán Rooney in Lebanon in December 2022 and said that the tragedy had a 'deep impact' on him. Clancy said he took heart from how the Defence Forces bonded and rallied around his family and comrades. In his conclusion the General said that he has the 'utmost confidence' his Rossa Mulcahy and paid tribute to the soldiers, sailors and aircrew. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Post
Plans to reform triple lock on Irish overseas troop deployment confirmed
TÁNAISTE Simon Harris, has confirmed that the Irish government will bring forward legislation later this month to change the triple lock mechanism that governs the deployment of Irish Defence Forces overseas. Mr Harris, who is also Minister for Defence, was speaking at the annual PDFORRA conference in Co. Clare. 'PDFORRA' stands for Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association. It represents the interests of enlisted members (non-commissioned personnel) of the Irish Defence Forces — including the Army, Naval Service, and Air Corps. Mr Harris said the 'heads of the bill' will be presented to Cabinet shortly. In Irish government terms, the "heads of a bill" (also called "general scheme of a bill") refers to a preliminary draft or outline of proposed legislation. Members of the Irish defence forces The move marks a significant shift in Ireland's long-standing approach to peacekeeping, which has required approval from the Government, the Dáil, and the United Nations Security Council before sending 12 or more troops abroad. The Irish government has previously signalled its intention to remove the UN Security Council component, arguing that Ireland's ability to respond to international crises should not be dependent on potential vetoes from permanent members such as Russia or China. 'There are countries that are militarily neutral and they don't have the Triple Lock — they are not the same thing,' Mr Harris told RTÉ News. He added that while military neutrality remains central to Irish policy, it should not be conflated with procedural limitations. PDFORRA used the conference to highlight continuing problems with retention across the force. While Defence Forces numbers have recently stabilised at around 7,545 personnel, including 6,074 in the army, 726 in the air corps and 745 in the naval service, PDFORRA President Mark Keane said this was not enough and pointed to a lack of progress on long service increments and better pay for specialised roles, particularly technical staff. Mr Harris also announced that Ireland's contribution to the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Southern Lebanon will be extended for another 12 months. He reaffirmed the Government's commitment to pursuing justice for Private Seán Rooney, the Irish soldier killed while serving with UNIFIL in 2022. The Defence Forces Press Office said 2024 marks the first year of net growth in personnel since 2017. It attributed this to revised recruitment policies, including raising the age limit for entry to 39 and improving salaries. A newly qualified private now earns over €42,000, while a new lieutenant earns between €44,000 and €50,000. Other initiatives include an increase in the retirement age to 62, access to free secondary health care, and significant capital investment in facilities, accommodation, and training. The organisation says these measures, alongside the implementation of the EU Working Time Directive, show its commitment to making military careers more attractive and sustainable. 'There is no quick fix to retention,' a Defence Forces spokesperson said. 'But we are adapting to the modern labour market to ensure that serving personnel feel valued.' The triple lock, introduced in 1997, has long been a cornerstone of Ireland's overseas engagement policy, but debate around its reform has intensified in light of shifting geopolitical realities. See More: Defence Forces, Ireland, Triple Lock
The Journal
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
PDFORRA's new boss says young people 'lifeblood' of Defence Forces and need better conditions
THE NEW PRESIDENT of a group representing rank and file military personnel has said that there is a need to confront the inequality in employment entitlements for new members. Araon Kearney, a communications specialist based at Cork's Collins Barracks, was elected today by delegates on the last day of the PDFORRA conference in Kerry. He takes over the presidency from Mark Keane – Kearney's deputy will be Sandra Daly who is a medic in the Irish Naval Service. Kearney said that he was humbled to be elected to lead the representative group. He said the key issue he wants to solve is the problem of people who joined after 2013 having less favourable work place entitlements to their older colleagues. This includes a significantly reduced pension for when they retire. This was a measure introduced during the height of austerity in the wake of the economic crash. 'The post 2013 joiners are the youngest people serving in our organisation, and they're the people that are the lifeblood of the Defence Forces and our group. 'I think it's very, very important that we fight to improve their terms and conditions, because they don't match those who joined before that date. 'They're the people who will be on the coal face of everything for the next 15 or 20 years so we have to put faith in them and fight to have their service recognised,' he said. Kearney said he supported the Tánaiste Simon Harris' comments on the importance of solving the crisis in recruitment and retention . Advertisement Harris had told The Journal on Wednesday when he attended the conference that purchasing of equipment was only part of a 'jigsaw' of solutions and that there was a need to recruit and keep in service people to operate the new kit. Kearney also endorsed the view that there is a need to advance to the highest level of ambition set out in an action plan to increase defence capability. 'As the Minister said it's very important to buy equipment to make sure that we are protected and looked after but if we don't have the people to man the armoured cars, fly the planes and crew the ships, we have nothing. 'We have to invest heavily in our people. And it's great that the minister actually acknowledged that,' he added. Outgoing President Mark Keane on the right hands over the chain of office to new president Araon Kearney. Niall O'Connor / The Journal Niall O'Connor / The Journal / The Journal Outgoing President Mark Keane welcomed the election and looked back at the successes of his tenure at the top of PDFORRA. 'When you look back on it, we started at a historically low place. We've come through difficult times and rebuilt PDFORRA. The organisation has demonstrated that it can deliver for its members, that we are an effective Association. 'We have shown the knowledge we have but also that we have the membership, and we have the grassroots who are willing to put in the hard work, willing to contest these elections, and willing to help each other. It is in the greatest tradition, the whole sense of methal and community, that people want to do this for the right reasons. 'It has been a privilege and an absolute honour to be President of PDFORRA and I enjoyed every moment of it,' he added. He paid tribute to his deputy Donogh Maguire and General Secretary Ger Guinan. 'They've been a great team and a great asset. I'd like to see that continue for the benefit of the associate and especially our members who deserve good representation,' he said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Heads of bill to change Triple Lock to be brought to Cabinet
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris has said he will bring the heads of a bill to Cabinet later this month to change the Triple Lock mechanism for the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas. Mr Harris was speaking at the annual conference of the Defence Forces representatives association, PDFORRA, which has heard calls for the Government to do more to address the retention crisis within the army, navy and the air corps. Irish Defence Forces members have been involved in overseas peacekeeping since 1958. For the past 25 years, the mechanism to enable that - known as the Triple Lock - has been in place, meaning approval by the Government and the Dáil, and a UN Security Council vote are required before 12 or more Defence Forces members can be deployed to peacekeeping overseas. The Government has already signalled a controversial move to remove UN Security Council approval from the mechanism. This afternoon, Mr Harris said that legislation will progress shortly. Mr Harris told RTÉ News: "It's my intention to update the Cabinet on this this month and to publish what we call the heads of the bill, the general bill, this month. "I'm willing to engage constructively with the Opposition on it; I would like to do that but - what I'm hearing at the moment - we have to be able to decouple military neutrality and the Triple Lock. "There are countries that are militarily neutral and they don't have the triple lock - they are not the same thing." 'More needs to be done' for Defence Force numbers The Tánaiste told delegates at the PDFORRA conference that numbers in the Defence Forces are stabilising at over 7,500, but PDFORRA says the Government needs to go further. "We firmly believe and our National Executive believes they [the Government] haven't done enough," PDFORRA President Mark Keane said. He said: "More needs to be done and we will address that through our sessions and in our motions at conference. "What we are looking for are retention measures such as long service increments and also a specialised review to look at the specialised pay of technicians within the Defence Forces. That is the biggest majoprity we are losing." Mr Harris also told delegates he intends to bring a memo to the Cabinet to extend Ireland's participation in the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Southern Lebanon for another 12 months. And he reiterated the Government's commitment that those responsible for the death of Private Seán Rooney will be brought to justice. 'No quick fix to retention' The Defence Forces Press Office said its current total strength is 7,545 personnel: 6,074 in the army, 726 in the air corps and 745 in the naval service. A spokesman insisted that the trend is upwards, after several years of falling numbers. He said: "Despite the highly competitive employment environment currently in Ireland, the Defence Forces recruitment strategies and retention policies are having a positive effect, as in 2024 we had the first net growth in personnel since 2017. "Our recruitment age increasing to 39 enables this, as well as our competitive salaries: a newly qualified private being on over €42,000 and a newly commissioned Lieutenant on between €44,000 and €50,000. "To address retention, our age limit has increased to 62 and free secondary health care provided to the entire organisation. "The implementation of the Working Time Directive and increase in capital expenditure for accommodation, equipment and training facilities demonstrates the value the organisation places on its people. "Overall, the Defence Forces is proactively adapting to a more dynamic labour market to attract the next generation of soldiers, sailors and aircrew through the development of our unique brand. "Similarly, there is no quick fix to retention, but the Defence Forces has proven its commitment to ensure serving personnel feel valued and satisfied and this will only continue to improve as time goes on."
The Journal
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Tánaiste: there is a need for new military kit but Ireland must solve the Defence staffing issue
THERE IS NO point having new equipment if the Irish Defence Forces does not have the staff to operate it, the Minister for Defence has said. Tánaiste Simon Harris was speaking in Kerry this afternoon at the annual delegate conference of PDFORRA , the body which represents non-commissioned ranks of the Irish military. He also said that there are a number of threats faced by the country, including the risk of hybrid attacks such as cyber incidents but said the issue needs to be addressed calmly. Harris compared solving Ireland's defence capability shortfall with the making a jigsaw and said that solving the exodus of people from the forces is as important as increasing the equipment capability of the army, navy and Air Corps. Speaking to The Journal in Kerry today he said that he has 'a great sense of optimism' that the issues will be solved and that there are a lot of 'encouraging signs'. 'I've got to be really honest, though there's and I hope it's not a bad analogy, but it's like the pieces of a jigsaw. 'Yes, we need to invest in our capabilities. I reference radar and there are many others – I use them as maybe the two most pressing but they're one piece of the jigsaw and you can have all the equipment you want but you must have the men and women to operate the equipment. That's another piece,' he said. The Tánaiste said that there is also new legislation needed to fit the new, more modern, command structures. He explained also that the recommendations in the damning Commission on the Defence Forces is another piece of the puzzle. Advertisement He also said that there is extensive work on getting the 'culture right' in the organisation in the wake of reports of abuse in the ranks. 'I chaired a meeting of our leadership forum yesterday, the senior management and leadership of the Defence Forces and the senior leadership in my department. 'I really do feel now there's this kind of a joint purpose, a common purpose, and that is giving me heart,' he added. Simon Harris speaking to delegates at PDFORRA's annual conference today. Neville Coughlan Neville Coughlan Harris said that when it comes to threats faced by countries across Europe Ireland cannot be complacent. 'I think sometimes we attach too great a sense to being militarily neutral in terms of our discourse as though that provides some sort of magic blanket or protection, which, of course, it doesn't,' he said. He said that he is focused on increasing capability to monitor not just on the surface of the seas around Ireland but underneath also. He also said there is a critical need to focus on building capability to protect Irish skies also. The Tanaiste also said that there is a need to address hybrid attacks, such as cyber and sabotage incidents and he said that this is a key issue for all countries in Europe, not just Ireland. 'Look, we need to be calm in relation to this. There isn't a significant or specific threat in relation to our country, but we are obviously a location in a part of the world where I think many bad actors don't necessarily differentiate from one country in that region to any other. And I think that, in and of itself, is a threat and challenge,' he added. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
