500 applied... but no soldiers rehired
NO retired soldiers have been rehired despite emergency legislation introduced specifically for that reason – with the terms of employment described as ‘appalling’.
Independent TD Cathal Berry, former deputy head of the Army Ranger wing, told the Dáil yesterday that while 500 former Defence Forces personnel had applied to re-enlist, none had been rehired.
‘Seven weeks later [after the legislation was introduced], it would be reasonable to assume that maybe 40, 50 or 60 soldiers have been rehired, but the reality is that not a single one has been rehired to date.
We are not even close. No interviews, medicals or Garda vetting have taken place,’ he said
Deputy Berry said the conditions on offer were not acceptable.
He said: ‘There are a number of reasons that no-one has been rehired, but the main reason is that the terms and conditions are pretty appalling.
‘If one is a former soldier, is fully trained and wishes to return to the Defence Forces to fight Covid, one would be offered a three-year contract. Incredibly, if one does not stay for the three years, one will be fined €300 by the Department of Defence.’
Deputy Berry likened this to having to ‘purchase one’s freedom from one’s employer or master’.
In the region of 300 Irish troops are currently stranded on peace-keeping duties in Lebanon.
Covid-19 restrictions have reduced the capacity for air travel and as Ireland has no military aircraft to move soldiers, they have to travel on commercial airlines.
Exemptions are permitted; however, there was a delay on the part of the Defence Forces in applying for such an exemption, which could result in a further, potentially six-toeight-week delay in bringing them home.
‘It took Ireland 17 days to apply for an exemption, which is 17 days wasted, and we are further down on the list. Our troops, who should have been home on Tuesday, might now have to wait for another six or eight weeks in-theatre in Lebanon,’ said Mr Berry.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described this lack of military air transport capabilities as ‘sub optimal’.
However, he said he has instructed the head of the Defence Forces to explore the purchase of aircraft to get troops back from Lebanon.