Tensions between military commanders and Defence Minister Michael Smith date back several years. In the Air Corps there have been serious concerns over the short-range Dauphin helicopters to carry out search and rescue work in Atlantic conditions.

Dauphins can no longer use the helipad on Government Buildings because the twin-engine craft cannot work on one engine in hover mode. If, during a sea rescue, the pilot suffers main engine failure, he or she must crash-land or ditch into the sea. Since 1986, some 23 Dauphin pilots have retired. In one year alone, 1998, some 40 per cent of Dauphin captains left the Air Corps.

Last July, four Air Corps crew - Capt Dave O'Flaherty (30), Capt Mick Baker (28), Sgt Paddy Mooney (34) and Cpl Niall Byrne (24) - died when their Dauphin crashed on returning from the first night rescue mission at the Waterford search and rescue base.

Lt Col Ken Byrne was about to retire as head of the search and rescue wing at Baldonnel when the Tramore crash occurred. The official investigation is still continuing and is due for completion next month. Lt Col Byrne's subsequent comments in an interview with this newspaper marked the first in a series of critical public statements made by retired and serving military commanders even before this latest row.

Last November, Comdt Aidan Flanagan, Lt Col Byrne's successor, publicly criticised Government policy, and appealed for funding for medium-range helicopters. He is the subject of a disciplinary investigation. Late last year, Capt Peadar McElhinney spoke out on the day of his retirement as officer commanding the Naval Base at Haulbowline.

Describing the promised White Paper as "like waiting for Godot", Capt McElhinney warned that the lack of clear direction and effect on morale had resulted in some 68 people leaving the Naval Service in the first eight months of 1999.