The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has said the State must urgently establish a medical standard on hearing disability to resolve the controversy over the enormous compensation settlements for alleged hearing damage.
In a rare public comment on the affair, Lieut Gen Gerry McMahon, said accepted medical standards for hearing disability and impairment are needed to resolve which cases should be compensated.
It has emerged that about a quarter of the State's military personnel are claiming compensation for hearing damage.
Lieut Gen McMahon said it appeared that "any impairment, no matter how small, is being compensated because of the fact that there is no Irish standard to measure it against."
He said he would welcome agreed standards "because I don't want genuine cases of hearing disability losing out because of the hue and cry that exists at the moment.
"Hearing disability is very serious. It involves social disruption of people's lives. Hearing impairment is the inability to hear certain tones and frequencies. It does exist and it can be age-related. It can be related to lots of things.
"In Ireland there is no recognised standard of measure that will give us a peg between hearing disability and hearing impairment."
He said he wished to see a standard established in line with the internationally-accepted standards which apply in such cases in other European countries and the US.
He did not want to comment on how an impairment standard might affect the careers of claimants still serving in the Forces.
However, it is understood the authorities fear that any suggestion that hearing damage could affect the career of a serving member might lead to larger amounts in compensation being sought.
The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, has already announced the creation of an expert group which would draft a "hearing handicap assessment system" which could then be used by the courts.
The controversy has deeply upset the Defence Forces' management which feels the Force is being tainted as having what some describe a "compo culture". Some 2,900 serving military personnel are claiming compensation. Up to 400 former or serving members of the FCA have also lodged claims. If the FCA is taken into account the potential number of claimants is 150,000.
Earlier calculations of a "doomsday" figure of a £1.7 billion cost to the Exchequer from the hearing loss cases were based on a scenario where every one of the 50,000 soldiers or ex-soldiers who served prior to 1987 brought a claim. Mandatory wearing of ear protection was introduced in 1987.
If FCA personnel are included in a "doomsday" scenario, the potential bill for the State triples to £5.1 billion.
There are 10,000 claims lodged and fresh claims are coming in at the rate of 100 a week.
The Chief of Staff said the Defence Forces became aware of hearing damage from firearms and explosives use only in the 1950s. Between 1972 and 1985 the Defence Forces issued 110,000 Amplivox plastic ear plugs to general soldiers and 4,000 ear muffs to artillery personnel.
Soldier compensated for "ringing in the ears": page 4
New cases at a rate of 100 per week: Page 12
Editorial Comment: page 17
Mr Smith: creation of an expert group announced