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  • Direction of the DF

    OK here it is lets see what everyone thinks regarding the the direction of the defence forces. Im wondering this since i read that this year for the first time defence spending surpassed 1bn euro. Do you think its moving in the right direction towards a better equipped force more able to perform the strenous task dished out to it? maybe im just overly optimistic but i think the DF is getting better and better and compared to say the current state of our closest neighbours armed forces, it is a very inviting career to the potential soldier who's looking for an army to join.
    68
    Yes, the DF is certainly moving in the right direction
    61.76%
    42
    No, its all going downhill
    29.41%
    20
    mehh, i dont really know/care
    8.82%
    6

  • #2
    Though we have exceeded €1bn for the first time, €1bn does not buy as much as it used to, when inflation is at about 4% a year. About 70% of that Billion goes on Wages and Pensions. Remember that you cannot buy a 3 bed semi D for under €1/4m, when only ten years ago you could buy the same house for €60,000. For an increase to be worth anything, the Annual Defence Budget should be increased in line with inflation, not lagging behind.


    Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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    • #3
      DF Getting Worse!

      What i cant understand is that they can spend millions on advertising but you ant egt clothing for personnel. They spent 30Million on Bde Hq containers that were out of date when they bought them and will sit in thew curragh for years and our troops overseas still aren't prorerly equipped (Lebanon & liberia mainly). Key personnel are walking out the gate everyday because its getting so bad and thay will be treated better in Gardai & fire service. Somone along the line is coddin someone.. Theses are just a few examples.

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      • #4
        Goldie is right. The figure to look at is not the €1 billion but the spend as a percentage of GDP (or GNP not too sure to be honest). Normal annual defence spending in EU states is 2 to 3% of GDP. Ireland spends 0.7 % of GDP on defence. So if we were really pulling our weight in the EU we should be spending €4 billion per year.

        But that would not win too many votes in the general election.

        I am not bitter....honest.

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        • #5
          Equipment standards have greatly improved, but not enough is being purchased.

          Standards of training - improving in some ways (see a lot of other threads about how it isn't).

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          • #6
            If a program was started to weed out the wasters in the RDF, have tighter recruitment etc. a fair bit of money is going to be saved. But ya i agree with the lads, we need a wee bit more dosh.

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            • #7
              Before this thread gets dragged off topic, the question is about the DF as a whole, not just the RDF.


              Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

              Comment


              • #8
                I think in terms of equipment the Defence forces are definetely doing better than they were 10 years ago.I think the training standards are continuing to improve ,but we are still way behind some of our european partners in certain areas.The unwillingness of the government to spend money on providing an alternative to the army doing atcp roles errodes our ability to train.And the military authorities are slowly trying to errode a soldiers rights .but other than that its going in the right direction
                "Let us be clear about three facts. First, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than that of any other arm." ------- Field Marshall Wavell, April 1945.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Popa View Post
                  If a program was started to weed out the wasters in the RDF, have tighter recruitment etc. a fair bit of money is going to be saved. But ya i agree with the lads, we need a wee bit more dosh.
                  According to the Comptroller, RDF account for less than 3% of the total budget allocation to the DF.

                  Putting that into perspective, both the UK and the US spend 7% of their budget on their reserves with a GDP spend 5 times that of Ireland.
                  Once more unto the breach, dear friends

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                  • #10
                    Wow, that shows how much we are wanted/needed.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by apod View Post
                      .And the military authorities are slowly trying to errode a soldiers rights .but other than that its going in the right direction
                      Surely the opposite?

                      Dignity charter, A7, Personnal Support Services, Ombudsman for the DF??
                      Sex - Breakfast of Champions!

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Itchy View Post
                        Surely the opposite?

                        Dignity charter, A7, Personnal Support Services, Ombudsman for the DF??

                        Window dressing mate.All for public show.There are HUGE changes coming when the new cs 4 comes out,and there are gonna be alot of pissed off soldiers and families.The dept are trying to sneak a change to the regs regarding postings in with the second stage defence act 2006.At present soldiers have alot of scope to say no to certain work practices as they are enshrined in the dfrs and the defence act.This pisses off the mil.authorities who want to able to say where you go,for how long and when,And they DONT give a damn about your family or circumstances.
                        "Let us be clear about three facts. First, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than that of any other arm." ------- Field Marshall Wavell, April 1945.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by apod View Post
                          And they DONT give a damn about your family or circumstances.
                          Imagine what they really think of the RDF so? From what I hear not many have signed up for this Integration, which should slow things down even more.

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                          • #14
                            €1bn is peanuts. It should really be twice that

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by apod View Post
                              I think in terms of equipment the Defence forces are definetely doing better than they were 10 years ago.I think the training standards are continuing to improve ,but we are still way behind some of our european partners in certain areas.The unwillingness of the government to spend money on providing an alternative to the army doing atcp roles errodes our ability to train.And the military authorities are slowly trying to errode a soldiers rights .but other than that its going in the right direction
                              When the new load bearing/body Armour/helmets come on stream our personal equipment will be as good as, if not better than most Western Armed forces..

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