“The pay structure of the Irish Defence Forces must be re-examined in the light of the huge disparity between soldiers’ pay and that of the Gardaí which has emerged as the Pope is due to visit Ireland”; that is according to Wexford Sinn Fein General Election candidate Cllr Johnny Mythen.
Cllr. Mythen said the comparison of pay shows how little soldiers are paid and treated. “If these conditions continue more and more defence personnel will leave the Defence Forces. The Army at present is at such a low staffing level that the Defence Forces are struggling to fill places for upcoming overseas missions, such as UNIFIL.”
Cllr Mythen said: “As the country gears up for the Pope’s visit, it has become quite clear than the Defence Forces are suffering a serious lack of parity of esteem from this government when compared to other branches of the public service. “When a Garda can earn over €30 an hour in overtime, while a soldier earns €23 a day, it is no wonder that the Defence Forces are struggling to retain personnel and attract new entrants.
Cllr Mythen is asking his fellow county deputy and Minister for Defence, Paul Kehoe T.D., “to put forward what proposals he has to alleviate the disparity between the Defense Forces and other branches of the public service in terms of pay and allowances and to recognise the reality on the ground, where soldiers families are having to apply for Family Income Supplement ( FIS) in order to make ends meet.”