Extra payments for troops taking part in EU Battlegroup expected to be announced

The Department of Defence is expected to announce a package of allowances to persuade soldiers to sign up for the European Union Battlegroup, which is due to start training early next year.

So far, about 35 Defence Forces personnel have volunteered for service with the Battlegroup, less than 20 per cent of what is required. Military sources said many troops were waiting for an announcement of allowances before undertaking the two-year commitment.

Last week, The Irish Times reported there was concern among senior military officials of serious international embarrassment for Ireland if it could not find enough Defence Forces personnel before the end of the year.

The Government has committed a mechanised infantry company, comprising 182 soldiers and headquarters staff, to the newly revamped Battlegroup system, which is intended to act as rapid-response force.

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It will act in support of UN-authorised missions and will also be deployed to aid humanitarian crises and support existing peacekeeping missions that face heightened difficulties.

The German-led Battlegroup, of which Ireland is a part, will be stood up in January and will spend much of 2024 training. It will then be on standby for all of 2025. Defence Forces troops will remain in Ireland during this time but will be expected to deploy internationally on just a few days’ notice.

Ireland has contributed troops to previous Battlegroup iterations, but these have never been deployed on active missions due to political disagreements between EU member states. The new form of Battlegroup is designed to be more easily deployable.

It is understood an announcement of allowance payments is expected in the coming weeks. Officials hope this will prompt large numbers of personnel to volunteer.

If not enough come forward, soldiers will be mandatorily selected for service. This is not the ideal option for military management, which prefers to rely on volunteers for overseas service when possible.

Defence Forces personnel deploying on peacekeeping or peace enforcement missions with the UN, Nato or EU are entitled to additional payments while overseas. However, to date, allowances have not been paid for serving with the Battlegroups.

Irish troops served with the Nordic Battlegroups in 2008, 2011 and 2015, the UK-led Battlegroup in 2016 and the German-led Battlegroups in 2012, 2016 and in 2020.

Military representative organisations sought extra payments for these deployments but were refused “due to the fact that the Battlegroup deployment was not comparable to an overseas deployment – given its training nature,” a Department of Defence spokeswoman said.

“Like other military organisations, the Defence Forces spend much of their time training in preparation for operations. It is not normal practice to pay personnel an allowance whilst on training,” she said.

However, the department said, given the extended nature of the upcoming commitment, there had been “significant discussions on this matter” between the Defence Forces and the department. There has also been engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, she said.

The Government decided early this year to withdraw Defence Forces troops from the Undof peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights in Syria in order to free up personnel for the Battlegroup.