The Defence Forces are experiencing a serious shortage of young officers as unprecedented numbers leave to take up positions in the private sector, a military conference has heard.
The Army is now 96 captains short of its official establishment or 21 per cent below the level it should have, the annual conference of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO).
The conference also heard that the shortages were happening at a time when there was an unprecedented level of overseas service with 150 officers serving abroad, representing nearly 12 per cent of the officer corps.
The RACO general secretary, Comdt Brian O'Keeffe, told the conference at Casement Aerodrome yesterday that the number of officers leaving the Defence Forces was a matter of serious concern.
He said private-sector employers were aware that the officer corps was "an easily tapped source of talent".
"The reality now is that there is no officer in this room who could not secure good outside employment relatively easily if he wanted to go.
"The organisation simply cannot sustain the level of losses we are experiencing. It is, therefore, essential that the two main aspects of the problem - slowing down the outflow and replacing the numbers who have left - be addressed as a matter of urgency."
He said the improved economic prospects in civilian life were not the only cause of the outflow of officers.
There were also "negative feelings" about the Defence Forces. These included: "restricted career opportunities; the pressures caused by double and treble jobbing without recognition; living with constant fear of more downsizing; lack of equipment; media campaigns which many believe are orchestrated by our own Department to paint soldiers as con men."
The Minister told the conference that staff shortage now affected both private and public sectors.
The Defence Forces were, however, benefiting from continuous recruitment, and 1,500 new recruits had joined since 1997. The State was paying £500 million a year on its military budget and in the period to next year £250 million was being spent on equipment.
Some £75 million was also being spent on providing new accommodation.
The Defence Forces Chief-of-Staff, Lieut. Gen. Dave Stapleton, told the conference the military were ready to meet the increased operational demands made by the Republic's increased commitment to European security and to peacekeeping service with the UN and other organisations. He said there was no scope for further reduction of the Defence Forces if they were to meet their commitment to foreign peacekeeping.