Defence spending row
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Why is Ireland’s defence spending at a record high and what are the main concerns?
Next though, Ireland is spending more on defence than it ever has before, but there is a debate over where that money should go. The government points to major investment in equipment and in infrastructure as well as more money for recruitment. But critics say spending more means little if serving members are not properly supported. Join me now to discuss this are Donica O'Leera. Sinn Fein T D spokes for Person on Foreign Affairs and Defence and Catherine Callaghan, F Fine Gael T D and former Defence Forces member. You're both very welcome. Donek, if I could start with you. I mean defence spending is at record levels one point four nine billion F uh allocation in budget twenty twenty six. But you say Defence Forces personnel are still being shortchanged.
How so?
Absolutely. And like I mean this is something that we heard last week in the committee from the representative associations. And to be honest, it's what we pick up from from members of the Defence Forces on the ground. It's important to say like we welcome investment in the Defence Forces in lots of ways. It's only making up for for years and years of neglect and the fact that you had ministers such as indeed Michal Martin handing millions upon millions back to the Exchequer because they weren't in a position to spend it, that didn't have the capacity that they they ended up Um But what the greatest asset the Defence Forces has is its men and women. And we have situations at the minute that like earlier this year you had about six thousand personnel were waiting to be paid three point seven million in claims that were already agreed.
That's partially resolved since, but they had to bring it up uh through their representatives' organisations. You have government dragging their feet again on things that are already agreed, the naval engineer technician allowance. That was agreed to a year ago, still not implemented. But some of the most fundamental stuff that affects Defence Forces personnel right across the board is the fact that You have and you had it during the the visit of President Trump, during the uh the recent ministers of defence, European Ministers of Defence, uh meeting in the Glen and Mal, um that, you know, personnel who are working very, very long shifts, the the Defence Forces doesn't have an adequate system for measuring what the kind of overtime is, what the standard day for amendment defence forces is.
So an awful lot of Defence Forces members are working extremely long hours and they're not being paid adequately for it and you have this absurd example of uh uh security duty allowance for officers uh a small enough amount of sixty euro a day but there's a degree of respect here as well the people who working very long shifts working very hard in difficult circumstances such as events that I have instanced not being paid the government is refusing to pay them out. So to me that's going to continue the problem of defence Forces personnel feeling taken for granted and when they have ten or fifteen years done leaving and you have that loss of skills. Mm.
How are Defence Forces personnel being short‑changed despite the budget increase?
And that's there is also an issue of outsourcing, which I think we'll come back we might come back to that as well. Okay we'll come back we might come back to that in
a
minute
yeah we might come back to that in a minute if you don't mind Donica. I want to bring Catherine in. Um you were in the defence forces yourself as uh obviously. Picture Donica paints there is pretty grim, isn't it?
I think that what's really important is that we give a balanced overview of what's happening with in terms of defence spending. Like we've seen record amounts of um the the highest budget in the history of the state so far in twenty twenty six in terms of defence spending one point five billion. And that is really important to recognise also that the security environment within which we're operating has changed dramatically. The government have recognised this. They've also recognised that there are gaps in our capability and now we're currently investing in ensuring that we fill those gaps.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Why is Ireland’s defence spending at a record high and what are the main concerns?
0:02–2:48
2
How are Defence Forces personnel being short‑changed despite the budget increase?
2:48–5:18
3
What specific pay, overtime and allowance issues are affecting morale?
5:18–8:20
4
Why is outsourcing of maintenance and training seen as a risk for the Air Corps?
8:20–10:29
5
What retention and recruitment challenges does the Defence Forces face?
10:29–12:55
6
How is the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces addressing capability gaps?
12:55–14:08