Defence Forces
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-09
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Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (SF), Cork South-Central

The Minister is committed to trying to increase those numbers but is she committed to addressing this discrepancy? Is the Minister committed? That is what I want to know. Cadet pay is one of the lowest in the Defence Forces at €503 per week compared with €550 for a recruit, which rises to €627 after 12 weeks. In the first year they earn 40.7% less than their enlisted counterparts. I cannot speak for every category of cadet that is coming through but there have been issues in the past where groups have come out of training in the Defence Forces and a large number of them have ended up in the private sector because the terms and conditions are more attractive. If we are putting in the money and putting in the effort in respect of people who are dedicated and committed and who want to serve their country in the Defence Forces, we should be trying to keep them. Particularly with the current cost of living, this pay is nowhere near adequate. It is below the national minimum wage for the hours they work, which are quite considerable.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-09