The organisation representing reservists in the Defence Forces has called for legislation to prevent them losing their full-time jobs while serving overseas.

According to the Irish Examiner, the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (RDFRA) has welcomed legislation that will allow its members to serve overseas. A spokesman told the newspaper, however, that this should be seen as “only the initial step”.

The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020 was passed in the Dáil in June, and is due to be debated in the Seanad.

Protections

The Examiner said that, in most other countries where reserves were sent overseas, governments had introduced protections to ensure people did not lose their jobs as a result.

The RDFRA told the newspaper that the Government had introduced such legislation for a period in the 1940s during World War Two, and on a temporary basis for reservists who were called up to help with duties linked to COVID-19.

The RDFRA now wants this protection enshrined in law permanently.