Defence Forces body 'surprised' at Garda conference comments

The association representing about 8,000 soldiers, sailors and aircrew of the Defence Forces, PDforra, has expressed its surprise at comments on the military from the Garda Representative Association (GRA) earlier in the week.

The comments by outgoing GRA president Damien McCarthy in effect questioned Minister for Justice and Defence Alan Shatter as to why Defence Forces personnel were still being recruited at a time when gardaí were not, because of the public-sector recruitment moratorium.

PDforra general secretary Gerry Rooney said he was surprised at the comments.

He said that while the Government had recently decided to recruit 500 Defence Forces personnel, this was “long overdue” and came at a time when numbers were 700 below the agreed strength for the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps combined.

He also pointed out that the Defence Forces had undergone significant downsizing in recent years, that barracks had been closed and that Irish military deployments continued to play a key role in United Nations and EU missions.

However, Mr Rooney said he accepted Mr McCarthy’s comments were “not intended to denigrate the Defence Forces”, and military personnel understood the challenges facing the Garda. “We must find every opportunity to support each other during these challenging times,” he said.

In his address to Mr Shatter at the GRA’s annual conference in Athlone, Co Westmeath, on Tuesday, Mr McCarthy referred to the lack of Garda recruitment, saying: “Minister, it is remarkable that you continued to recruit members for the permanent Defence Forces. Is Ireland under attack? Is there a war we are about to join? Because we are under attack in the war on crime at home, right here in Ireland.”