"Speaking at the conference this morning, general secretary of RACO Lieutenant Colonel Conor King said if the issue is not addressed, the organisation will have no option but to recommend to future cadet applicants that they enlist as a recruit in the Defence Forces before beginning a cadetship. He said cadet pay remains the lowest in the Defence Forces, at just €493.45 per week, compared to €540.05 for a recruit. Lt Col King said cadets remain on this pay rate while recruits move to an annual salary of €41,879.67 after six months."
""From the moment of enlistment, it takes an officer five years to catch up to an enlisted colleague in terms of career pay, despite undertaking longer training and assuming greater responsibilities," they said. Lt Col King said low cadet wages are a serious barrier to recruitment. "The financial strain of living on cadet pay makes joining the Defence Forces less attractive, potentially limiting the pool of highly motivated candidates," he said."
"Improving cadet pay is not just a matter of fairness, it is essential to attracting, supporting and retaining talented personnel in the Defence Forces"
Defence Force cadets are paid €493.45 per week, about 41% less than newly enlisted recruits who receive €540.05 weekly and move to an annual salary of €41,879.67 after six months. RACO represents 1,225 officers and raised the pay disparity at its conference in Trim, Co Meath, attended by the Tánaiste and Defence Minister. RACO warned it may advise applicants to enlist as recruits before pursuing a cadetship if pay remains unchanged. Union spokespeople said officers take five years to financially catch up, and low cadet wages hinder recruitment and retention.
Read at Irish Independent
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