Page 33 - Signal Winter 2019

| RACO BDC 2019 |
RACO Biennial Delegate Conference 2019
The RACO Biennial Delegate Conference was held at Killashee House Hotel, Naas, County Kildare on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th of September 2019. The conference was attended by RACO committees throughout all Brigades and Formations and a number of guest speakers and presenters from both Ireland and abroad. The conference was also attended by members of the General Staff including Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett and Minister with Responsibility for Defence, Mr Paul Kehoe TD. Photos by Peter Shaughnessy and Ben Kelly.
Guests included a representative from the UK Royal Navy, who spoke on HR and pay and conditions matters, particularly relevant in relaiton to the pay, conditions or service and retention crisis which currently besets the Defence Forces. Conference was addressed by Vice Admiral Mellett and Minister Kehoe, with RACO replying through association President Comdt Shane Keogh and General Secretary, Comdt Conor King. We have reproduced extracts of both the President’s and General Secretary’s Speeches below.
Abbreviated version of speech by Comdt Shane Keogh, RACO President
So, firstly, where are we now?
As a starting point, I must emphasise that, unfortunately, ‘the retention and recruitment issues’ continue to persist in the Defence Forces. This fact is well accepted, in all quarters, at this stage. I would hold that this remains the primary challenge facing Óglaigh na hÉireann at present. And the issues we are discussing here in Killashee are all feeding directly into that over- arching strategic imperative... that is, a reversal of the turnover trend and a return to a minimum strength of 9,500 trained personnel as envisaged by the White Paper.
“A commitment, I should say, that Government continues to reinforce and hold out as an aim. However, despite the effort
of all involved to date, we are some way off achieving our shared goal.”
Our conference, following intense debate over the last number of days, and aided by the analysis and dialogue over the last number of weeks, have now voted to accept the findings of the Public Service Pay Commission’s most recent report. This is a welcome development and it will see a well-deserved and necessary increase to certain allowances for our members. But please be under no illusion Minister, the global reaction is that it falls well short of what is truly required to address our current challenges; and that the acceptance of the Pay Commission’s report belies the overarching concerns of officers throughout the Defence Forces. The concerns that are evidenced by the alarming and ever-growing turnover rate being experienced in our Forces at present. The current figures, which Conor, the Association’s General Secretary, will allude to later in his speech will be a shocking reminder to you all of where we currently find ourselves. Put simply... We have not done enough. The turnover rate of personnel continues to rise and it stands at an alarming 10.3% at present.
It is constantly being heralded that 14 White Paper projects have been successfully concluded, but what have they delivered? The low hanging fruit have been targeted, but where are the substantial improvements and programmes that will deliver on the political vision outlined in the White Paper?
Our Members are frustrated that not one project, that will have an impact on the current HR issues in the Defence Forces, has been successfully completed or implemented. An unfortunate reality considering that the White Paper process could, and should, prompt much-needed reform and make the necessary,
RACO Gen Sec Comdt Conor King, Comdt Derek Priestley, RACO Dep Gen Sec, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM, Defence Forces COS and Deputy Paul Kehoe, Minister of State with responsibility for Defence.
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