The organisation representing 9,000 members of the armed forces has called on the Government to increase military spending to enable Ireland to continue its international peacekeeping duties.
Speaking at the organisation's annual conference in Athlone, PDFORRA general secretary Gerry Rooney raised concerns with Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea about the level of spending on the Defence Forces.
Current spending on the Defence Forces - at just over €900 million - has dropped from 1.3 per cent of GNP to 0.7% of GNP in the last decade.
"It is incumbent on you and your officials not to allow our meagre slice of the cake to slide any further - or we will be functioning on negative equity," Mr Rooney told the minister.
Some 750 Irish troops, of the total of 10,500, are currently serving overseas with the United Nations in Kosovo, Bosnia, Liberia and a number of other smaller missions. Mr Rooney said Irish troops were named by a local newspaper as 'peace contingent of the year' out of the 45 nations contributing troops to the UN mission.
Mr O'Dea urged delegates to accept the modernisation plan required for the granting of pay increases under Sustaining Progress.
In regard to funding, he said it was Government policy that the Defence Forces should be fully equipped to undertake the duties assigned to them at home and overseas.
Mr O'Dea said efforts were continuing to tackle bullying and harassment in the Defence Forces, including the training of 190 designated contact persons for complaints and the appointment of a Defence Forces Ombudsman.
"This is clear evidence of further significant steps being taken within the Defence Forces to deal with the small but very damaging incidents of inappropriate behaviour that may occur from time to time," he said.
Mr Rooney noted PDFORRA is banned from full membership of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) because of its members' provision of vital services.
He said this meant it had no input into the national wage agreements and had to treat what was offered on a 'take it or leave it' basis.
"I am asking the minister to demonstrate Ireland's commitment to human rights by lifting the ban on membership of Ictu," he said.