Poor pay in the Irish Defence Forces is causing a massive exodus of experienced personnel. In the last 4 years 30% of the Defence Forces' overall strength has left the force, 77% of these were early retirements. This is almost exclusively down to poor pay. The Defence Forces are by far the worst paid of all public servants with a starting private earning just €27k a year including allowances and a recruit earning just €14k a year. Loss of experienced personnel is damaging our Defence Forces' ability to carry out their duties of defending the Irish state, contributing to overseas peace support operations and contributing to European defence. It is a national disgrace that a significant number of Defence Forces personnel receive family income supplement. No soldier, sailor or airman of the state should ever have to receive social welfare. Its time to end this scandal.