John Lucey made a major contribution to improving conditions for the Defence Forces, writes Jim Cusack, Security Editor
The founders of PDFORRA, the Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association, initially faced dismissal from service or even imprisonment as their activities were viewed as contrary to rules of discipline.
The military hierarchy was set against the granting of negotiating rights to any representative group for service personnel. It was reasoned that soldiers would eventually seek trade-union status and might even strike rather than obey orders.
John Lucey and a number of other figures who became founders of PDFORRA argued that this was a spurious argument, that their only interest was the improvement in pay and conditions for their members and that there was no intention to interfere with military matters or refuse orders.
Conditions at the time for the military were bleak with poor pay and often-decrepit housing. At the outset, the soldiers' wives began agitating for change setting up a group called the National Army Spouses Association (NASA). It threatened to run candidates in constituencies where large barracks were situated to highlight its grievances.
Mr Lucey was one of a number of non-commissioned officers who saw the need for a proper representative group and began organising on a national basis in 1990 and 1991 as part of a group with his fellow Naval warrant officer, Mr Michael Martin.
The group toured the country, quickly gaining support. Their action spurred officers to begin similar moves leading to the foundation of their representative group RACO, the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers.
The two groups gained the support of the then Minister for Defence, Mr Brian Lenihan, who gave them statutory rights in 1992.
Mr Martin was appointed first general secretary and Mr Lucey deputy general secretary, becoming general secretary with Mr Martin's departure in 1994.
There were considerable internal tensions in the new association and much of the credit for keeping it together is given to Mr Lucey. Colleagues say his easy style of management and happy nature made him acceptable to all sides during quite bitter disputes in the association.
PDFORRA was able to negotiate improvements in pay and conditions during the PESP (Programme for Economic and Social Progress) pay round and has done so in all the pay rounds since.
Mr Lucey campaigned for several years for the establishment of an Ombudsman for soldiers and last year the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, agreed to implement this recommendation.
Legislation to establish the military Ombudsman's office will be introduced to the Dáil this year.
Yesterday, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Colm Mangan, joined PDFORRA in paying tribute to Mr Lucey .
"He made a major contribution to the representative association for whom he was a tireless advocate.
"John gained the respect of all involved in the process of representative by the manner in which he advocated the case on behalf of the members of PDFORRA. He always placed the greater good of the Defence Forces at the top of his agenda."
The president of PDFORRA, Mr Eamonn Lafferty, said: "John Lucey was an outstanding general secretary of our association. He was a tireless worker who made a huge commitment to improving the pay and conditions for soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Defence Forces.
"He will be sadly missed by those who worked with and associated with him over the years."
He said Mr Lucey showed immense courage and dedication in the formative years of the association.
He was the association's first deputy general secretary and was elected general secretary in 1994.
He was an active member of EUROMIL, the European Organisation of Military Associations, the umbrella organisation for soldiers' unions in Europe.