PDFORRA, WHICH represents soldiers, sailors and aircrew, will today call for changes to the law so that the murder of a serving member of the Defence Forces would be a distinct offence, carrying a minimum prison term of 40 years.
The Criminal Justice Act 1990 provides for mandatory 40-year sentences for the murder of gardaí, prison officers and some, but not all, members of the Defence Forces. It applies to Defence Force members operating in Portlaoise Prison or carrying out prisoner escort duties.
The call will be made in a motion to the association’s annual conference which opened in Tullow, Co Carlow, yesterday.
Pdforra general secretary Gerry Rooney said Defence Force members should have as much protection under the law as gardaí and prison officers. “There should be little difficulty extending the remit of the Act to cover soldiers on all aid to the civil power duties,” he said.
“I hope that this issue can be given early and positive consideration by the Minister for Defence. The threat from political splinter groups and well-armed criminals is very real – and members of the Defence Forces can be targets – so they must have the same legal protection as everyone else.”
The conference is expected to hear criticism of Government cuts, with some lower paid members claiming their annual income has fallen by €2,500. In his annual report to the conference, Mr Rooney said the moratorium on recruitment was having a punitive effect on the Defence Forces. He said almost 500 members left the forces since the moratorium in March. The McCarthy report recommends 500 job cuts, the closure of barracks and cuts on overseas missions.
More than 100 members of Pdforra gathered in Tullow for the conference. It opened with speeches from the three candidates seeking election as Pdforra’s next president. Outgoing president William Webb is seeking re-election while the other two candidates are Michael McKenzie and Declan Sheridan. The result will be announced tomorrow.
The conference also heard criticism of the association’s forced withdrawal from the 24/7 Front Line Service Alliance. Last month, the Department of Defence told Pdforra it must break contact with the alliance of frontline public sector workers such as gardaí, nurses and prison officers. The alliance is protesting against cuts in allowances and payments proposed in the McCarthy report.
Mr Rooney said the association had twice been told by the department it could be involved in such a campaign against Government policy. The conference is set to hear criticism of proposed barrack closures. Earlier this year, Rockhill House in Letterkenny, Lifford Military Post, Connolly Barracks in Longford and Monaghan Military Post closed in a cost-saving measure. St Bricin’s Hospital is also set to close at a later date.
Pdforra members will be addressed today by Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea and Defence Forces chief of staff, Lieut Gen Dermot Earley.