THE GOVERNMENT is set to give the cold shoulder to a request for extra cash from soldiers for clearing roads and footpaths in Donegal during the Big Chill.
The claim for more money will shock the hundreds of civilians who also did their bit out of a sense of community spirit.
Members of the Defence Forces in the county did help to clear roads and footpaths in Ballyshannon, Buncrana, Donegal Town and Letterkenny over the Christmas period.
But many people will be shocked this morning to hear the soldiers from Finner Camp are seeking ‘decency’ payments for their efforts in clearing footpaths and escorting the emergency services.
The body which represents soldiers in the Defence Forces – Pdforra – has made a formal request for the extra cash, saying they deserve it because they spent time away from their families!
Gerry Rooney, General Secretary of Pdforra, said: “They are on duty. Even if they are not deployed, they are spending long and antisocial hours away from their homes.
“There is anger about it; people have an expectation to spend some time with their families.”
The association says it will be taking the matter to an adjudicator with the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme and hopes to have a hearing in early 2011.
If the case is won, then soldiers will be entitled to back pay for the hours spent on call in barracks.
A spokesman for the Department for Defence said: “All discussions under the defence conciliation and arbitration scheme are confidential to the parties involved, and it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits or any other aspect of any claim under discussion.”