The Defence Minister Simon Coveney has admitted there is an issue around low pay for personnel in the forces, and that he plans to review it.

It follows reports that some soldiers are being forced to sleep in cars outside army barracks some nights because they cannot afford the fuel to travel.

The group representing members of the Defence Forces, PDFORRA, has said 20% of its members are claiming family income support to make ends meet.

As many as one in five defence forces families are also seeing their income supplemented by welfare payments.

Mr Coveney says there is an issue.