RIR protest over redundancy offer

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More than 1,000 part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment have lodged official complaints about the government's redundancy package.

More than £240m will be paid out when the three home service battalions are disbanded. About 1,100 part-timers will get a £14,000 tax-free payment.

But most part-timers are demanding more money and pension rights similar to full-time soldiers.

An Army spokesman said the complaints were being considered.

However, the spokesman said the soldiers were not entitled to full redundancy packages because they had not been employed on a full-time basis.

The Northern Ireland-based battalions of the regiment are to be disbanded on 1 August 2007, the same day as the Army ends its support role to the police.

Full-time soldiers will receive a special payment of £28,000, a redundancy payment and a pension.

'Wronged'

Part-time soldiers will receive a special payment of about £14,000, but are not entitled to redundancy.

A letter sent by one part-time soldier said said: "Having been officially told on 9 March 2006 that my service is being terminated without redundancy payments being made to me, I now believe that I was wronged.

"I have been treated less favourably than a comparable full-time member of the Royal Irish, which is contrary to the provisions of the Part-Time Workers (Provision of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations NI 2000 and the Part-Time Workers' (EU) Directive."

More than 3,000 soldiers serve in the three battalions, many part-time.

Troop levels in the province are to fall from 10,500 to 5,000 within two years.

The Royal Irish Regiment was formed in 1992, with the merger of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment.

The band of the RIR will be disbanded in March 2008 and the Territorial Army band in Northern Ireland will be renamed the Royal Irish Regiment Band (TA).