Only 862 trained personnel remain in the Navy as 24 more seek to leave

Successive governments agreed that the minimum level of Naval Service personnel should be 1,094.

However, the press office of the Defense Forces confirmed on March 1 that among the 899 troops they mentioned were 37 untrained people: 27 recruits and 10 cadet officers.

That brings the number of personnel trained today to 862.

So far this year, seven sailors, many of them long-serving and highly skilled, have applied for and received a discharge from the Naval Service.

Another 24 have also tried to leave and are currently awaiting discharge, which would reduce the number of trained personnel to 838, more than 2,000 fewer than the Naval Service is supposed to have.

Defense Minister Simon Coveney introduced a special loyalty payment of 10,000 euros for personnel who had signed up for a two-year period for maritime patrols.

As of March 1, the number of approved staff for the Maritime Services Engagement Plan was only 43. Six applicants were deemed ineligible and another 30 applications are being processed.

The exodus of highly trained personnel, which shows no signs of abating, has led the country’s largest association of military representatives, PDForra, to declare that the plan is not working.

PDForra president Mark Keane argued that this is because 48% of its members do not qualify, as they must have a minimum of three years of experience.

He said that as a result, he had created a “two-tier” Naval Service.

“Despite the introduction of this scheme, we have witnessed more people leaving the Naval Service this year, compared to the same period last year,” Keane said.

The Naval Service is also experiencing a loss of experienced personnel in highly specialized roles, such as engine room architects, which are vital to keeping ships at sea.

Several have left, or are about to leave, for much higher-paying jobs in the private sector.

“The dismissal of highly qualified technicians is a worrying development, as the Government has not published Technical Review 2 – 6, which the Government promised to publish last year. This was to be done as part of the Taoiseach’s ‘high-level implementation plan’ for the Defense Forces, ”Keane said.

It was hoped that this review would have recommended higher pay for these vital staff in an effort to stem their exodus to the private sector.

“The time has come for a mature conversation about these pressing issues, as PDForra has been actively highlighting the issues since 2017.

“Currently, our members are voting with their feet and leaving the Defense Forces in increasing numbers,” Keane added.