DEFENCE FORCES:TEN OF the 63 allowances in the Defence Forces are being abolished for new entrants. These include an annual €27.40 underwear allowance for female members, and a housekeeping allowance of €1,868 for Army chaplains.
Other allowances to be discontinued for new entrants include a weekly payment of €65.80 for non-commissioned officers who are responsible for clothing, technical and barrack accounts, an allowance of €30.86 a week for NCOs who edited the Defence Force publications, and annual allowances of €6,412 and €4,833, depending on rank, for officers trained in health and safety.
However, all these allowances were defended by the Department of Defence and a business case made for them.
In the case of the underwear allowance, the business case was that the allowance meant the Defence Forces did not have to supply items of female underwear, which varied according to size.
An entertainment allowance for certain senior officers will also not exist for new recipients. This was defended on the basis that certain senior officers were expected to entertain official military and civilian guests and dignitaries. They cost €2,415 in 2011.
Apart from a small number of allowances which are already the subject of review under the Croke Park agreement, the majority of the 63 allowances are being retained. All of them were recommended for retention by the department.
There are allowances for those members of the forces qualified in foreign languages up to Nato standard who work as translators and interpreters while on foreign duty. These range up to €2,749 annually.
Uniform refurbishment allowances, which vary slightly according to the force involved, are €848.19 for male members of the Army and €1,122.45 for females. According to the business case, these are not stocked by the military, are required for ceremonial occasions, and must be sourced by the individuals.
A civilian clothing allowance of €1.33 a day, paid to members of the Defence Forces who are on military duties where they are required to wear civilian clothing, is being retained. The business case for this was blacked out.
One of the highest allowances was the “maintenance of essential services allowance”. This is worth €49.76 a day for weekdays, €74.70 for Saturdays and €99.50 for Sundays. Examples of where it arose were blacked out. According to the business case, “if the duties were not undertaken there would be no aid to the civil authorities in times of industrial unrest”.