THE NEW PRESIDENT of a group representing rank and file military personnel has said that there is a need to confront the inequality in employment entitlements for new members.

Araon Kearney, a communications specialist based at Cork’s Collins Barracks, was elected today by delegates on the last day of the PDFORRA conference in Kerry.

He takes over the presidency from Mark Keane – Kearney’s deputy will be Sandra Daly who is a medic in the Irish Naval Service. 

Kearney said that he was humbled to be elected to lead the representative group.

He said the key issue he wants to solve is the problem of people who joined after 2013 having less favourable work place entitlements to their older colleagues. This includes a significantly reduced pension for when they retire.

This was a measure introduced during the height of austerity in the wake of the economic crash.

“The post 2013 joiners are the youngest people serving in our organisation, and they’re the people that are the lifeblood of the Defence Forces and our group.

“I think it’s very, very important that we fight to improve their terms and conditions, because they don’t match those who joined before that date.

“They’re the people who will be on the coal face of everything for the next 15 or 20 years so we have to put faith in them and fight to have their service recognised,” he said.

Kearney said he supported the Tánaiste Simon Harris’ comments on the importance of solving the crisis in recruitment and retention.

Harris had told The Journal on Wednesday when he attended the conference that purchasing of equipment was only part of a “jigsaw” of solutions and that there was a need to recruit and keep in service people to operate the new kit.

Kearney also endorsed the view that there is a need to advance to the highest level of ambition set out in an action plan to increase defence capability.  

“As the Minister said it’s very important to buy equipment to make sure that we are protected and looked after but if we don’t have the people to man the armoured cars, fly the planes and crew the ships, we have nothing.

“We have to invest heavily in our people. And it’s great that the minister actually acknowledged that,” he added. 

Outgoing President Mark Keane on the right hands over the chain of office to new president Araon Kearney. Niall O'Connor / The Journal Niall O'Connor / The Journal / The Journal

Outgoing President Mark Keane welcomed the election and looked back at the successes of his tenure at the top of PDFORRA.

“When you look back on it, we started at a historically low place.  We’ve come through difficult times and rebuilt PDFORRA. The organisation has demonstrated that it can deliver for its members, that we are an effective Association.

“We have shown the knowledge we have but also that we have the membership, and we have the grassroots who are willing to put in the hard work, willing to contest these elections, and willing to help each other.

It is in the greatest tradition, the whole sense of methal and community, that people want to do this for the right reasons.

“It has been a privilege and an absolute honour to be President of PDFORRA and I enjoyed every moment of it,” he added. 

He paid tribute to his deputy Donogh Maguire and General Secretary Ger Guinan.

“They’ve been a great team and a great asset. I’d like to see that continue for the benefit of the associate and especially our members who deserve good representation,” he said.