asked the Minister for Defence whether he will make a further review of the rate of pay of recruits to the Defence Forces in view of the fact that their pay is only £8 8s a week in comparison with £13 7s 6d paid to ban-ghardaí on recruitment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Recruits' Pay.
83.
The present rate of pay of the recruit referred to by the Deputy is £8 18s a week and in addition he receives free food and free accommodation.
I do not propose to review this rate of pay.
Would the Minister not agree that one of the reasons why the recent recruiting campaign was not as successful as it might have been was the fact that to ask young men in their late teens to enter a job where the starting pay is £8 18s a week, even with the uniform and food thrown in, is just not reasonable?
I would hardly be the best person to ask because the competition for labour in my part of the country is extremely high due, of course, to the well-being of the economy and it is a very hot market to work in.
With 60,000 people unemployed is it not surprising that many of them did not offer to join the Army and would he not consider that this question of pay is one of the reasons why they stayed out?
I would not agree.
Check the figure.
65,000 last Thursday. Thank you, Minister.