Vote 36 - Defence

Guest

Comptroller recommends ending Troubles-era bonus

AN ALLOWANCE paid to soldiers on Border duty during the Troubles should be stopped as there is no longer any justification for it, the Comptroller and Auditor General has said.

The allowance was first brought into the Army in 1972 to compensate soldiers for the difficulties of a Border posting, which often involved long hours of duty.

The allowance is still being paid despite the peace process. Last year it cost the Defence Forces €5.38 million. It is worth €96.41 for enlisted personnel and €112.19 for officers per week.

In his report to the Public Accounts Committee, John Buckley said in 1996 more than 26,000 patrols, checkpoints and searches were carried out along the Border.

There had been none since 2002, yet personnel from Border units are still being paid the allowance for a period of up to three months while on a training course, and logistical personnel such as cooks, fitters and military police are also paid the allowance while on attachment to Border units.
Irish Times

Guest

Completely daft but then again try to take it away from them and see what happens.

Guest

What Johnfás a coup?

Guest

Green flu - very contagious I believe.

Guest

Could that be the time so for Machine Nation to launch a coup? How about Halloween next year? Your costume will be that of a Field-Marshall.

Guest

Quote :: FOUR Irish Defence Forces helicopters sold to a US company for just over ¤300,000 were later sold on to the Chilean navy for nearly ¤19m, the Sunday Tribune has learned.

Tribune

Guest

There was a representative from the American company which bought them saying that the story is not accurate.

Guest

it was probably Eur28m!

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