Staffing Problems Highlighted

[newby]

entice engineers and mechs into the slua and let them spend as much time as they want at sea

[newby]

there is an easy solution to this problem wat they need to do is increase the amount of time the slua spend at sea from there current 5 0r 6 weeks to maybe 18weeks and den your sorted!

[Stinger]

No matter what the government do the crusties will be complaining. Thats what they get their kicks out of

FMolloy since when can Indimadia tell the differince between the truth and there truth
if the DF go for this option Indimedia will say

Defence Forces take advantage of Asylum seekers

[FMolloy]

There's a big difference between forcing people in and inviting people to join. Even they can't despute that.

Ture but those Indymedia plonkers would call it conscription

[FMolloy]

If they're joining of their own accord and meet the existing criteria then there wouldn't be a problem and couldn't be called conscription.

Its a good Idea but the down side to that is the Defence Forces could turn into a conscript force.
think about it do you want a unprofressional D.F.

[Stinger]

What about the idea of recruiting foreigners to the defence forces and after so many years service give them citizenship. Im sure this would be a popular idea with some areas of the refugees currently coming to Ireland. It also has the added benefit of removing the burden of their care from the state and instead they are actually making a contribution. I dont think this would be such a bad idea if it was run properly.

[hptmurphy]

I have to agree.for vessels classified as merchant vesels and manned as naval vessels the NS enginre rooms are over manned . The rank structure is ridiculous where the po era could do the MEO job .there is a naval command structure which is over redundant.With the modern systems .! PO era and a half dozen mechs the engine room should function reasonably .The only reason eras are over stretched is because they are employed on tasks well beneath their qualifications.More responsibility ...less redundancy.....and pay them accordingly.

[Goldie fish]

They tried to solve this problem a few years back by making artificers into Mechs...most of the artificers left as a result. Then they took on a load of DEs to take up the slack,who suddenly outranked the remaining artificers and mechs after 6 weeks service.. how happy things were in the engine rooms then..
Ships Engineers(officer types) often need the benefit of a map to find their way to the engine room,and few know the purpose of swarfega.
Replacing the manpower heavy PVs with vessels using unmanned engineering spaces,like most modern Merchant vessels would solve this problem. Niamh and Roisin are a few steps closer to this system.
The ship I served on,which was of similar tonnage to the larger vessels(1900GRT) had one engineer on board,and the remainder of the (6) crew would assist when necessary.And we didnt have the advantage of a second engine,like eithne,the peacocks and the Roisin class.

[hptmurphy]

Andy Macken would say that seeing that he is an artificer himself.Serve as a NS recruit with me!

PDFORRA, the representative association for soldiers, sailors and airmen, has warned of a serious problem amongst personnel in the Naval Service.

The organisation says there are excessive pressures on ships' engineers and mechanics because of shortage of staff. It has asked the Arbitration Branch of the Department of Defence to intervene.

PDFORRA says that engineers and mechanics, known as artificers, should under the terms of their duties, serve two years out of three on seagoing duty, rotating then for a year on shore duties.

However, because of the shortage of personnel there is too much pressure and related stress on sailors who have to serve excessive periods of duty at sea, operating under cramped living and working conditions.

The Vice-President of the Association, Andy Macken, said the present situation could lead to more personnel leaving, worsening the situation in the Navy.

Mr Macken said skilled personnel should be recruited as it would take too long to train unskilled recruits. Existing personnel, he said, were keeping ships operating, but were under a lot of pressure and the present situation could not be sustained.