Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As at 31st March 2024, the latest date for which such data is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 7,510 personnel comprised of 6,087 Army personnel, 701 Air Corps personnel and 722 Naval Service personnel.

Whilst recruitment and retention challenges have been acknowledged, a range of measures have been introduced by this Government to address these and make the Defence Forces an attractive option as a career choice. To this end, there is provision, contained in the €1.23 billion allocated for the Defence Sector in Budget 2024, for the recruitment and training of a net additional 400 personnel in 2024.

In addition to ongoing recruitment for general service recruits and direct entry specialists, there are a number of recruitment and retention initiatives underway to increase capacity. An example includes the recent increase in the maximum retirement age for PDF personnel to 60 years. This retention measure also facilitated an increase in the maximum recruitment age to 39 years for General Service Recruits, Cadets and certain specialists with effect from 29 March 2024.

Other financial and non-financial retention initiatives are currently being implemented such as the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the PDF, in addition to significant progress on pay.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has progressed a number of key measures arising from the Commission on the Defence Forces Report to address pay and recruitment issues in the Defence Forces. These include a number of projects undertaken to bolster the attractiveness of a career in the Defence Forces, and cover a range of measures which improve pay and conditions.

It is also worth noting in this regard that the Report observed that much of the commentary surrounding issues of pay in the Defence Forces does not seem to fully reflect the totality of the remuneration package and believes that this needs to be better communicated.

The Commission on the Defence Forces made a number of recommendations concerning pay structures, which have been implemented including:

• Removal of the requirement for a Private 3 Star/Able Seaman to ‘mark time’ for the first three years at that rank (as detailed above in terms starting pay rates);
• Payment of the full rate of Military Service Allowance (MSA) applicable to the rank of all Private 3 Star/Able Seaman personnel.

In 2023 the Tánaiste announced the extension of private secondary medical care to all Defence Forces personnel, a measure that commenced in September 2023. Previously, various benefits applied to Commissioned Officers only. It will now apply to all personnel. In addition to the comprehensive range of primary care currently provided, this new measure will facilitate referrals to private consultants, as well as the costs of any diagnostic tests.

In addition to the above, Government announced new changes to the existing Naval Service allowances, as a means of simplifying current structures, by consolidating the daily allowance and the sea-going commitment scheme into one enhanced allowance. This is in line with the Commission on Defence Forces recommendation to replace existing sea-going allowances with less complex measures. The sea-going commitment scheme was abolished from the end of 2023.

Specifically, the current Patrol Duty Allowance, paid to Naval Service personnel, will be doubled after ten days at sea. This measure took effect from 1 January 2024. It will result in the daily rate increasing from €66.13 to €132.26 for an officer, and from €65.72 to €131.44 for an enlisted person, after ten days at sea, with effect from 1st January 2024.

Having due regard to all of the measures mentioned it is therefore important to note that significant progress has been delivered on pay and conditions, for the Defence Forces, in recent years. Following the implementation of the Commission on Defence Forces recommendations, as well as the ratification of a new public service pay agreement in 2024 (which resulted in an initial 2.25% wage adjustment from 1 January 2024) this means that recruits, on completion of training (which takes approximately 24 weeks), will start at:

• €39,321 in year 1
• €40,718 in year 2, and
• €42,005 in year 3

(A further 1% pay rise will be due again on 1 June 2024).

In terms of Officers, a school leaver Cadet - on commissioning as an Officer- is paid €43,222. This is a second Lieutenant position. After 2 years they are promoted to Lieutenant and their pay rises to €48,505. Where a graduate joins – the pay rate on commissioning as a Lieutenant begins at €48,505. These rates all include pensionable military service allowance, which is an allowance that is paid to all ranks up to and including the rank of Colonel, for the unpredictable nature of the work encountered by the Defence Forces.

Remuneration for individual members of the Defence Forces is dependent on a range of factors relating to the role and duties they perform. The minimum payment for trained personnel is comprised of Basic Pay and Military Service Allowance. Defence Force personnel also have access to other remuneration streams, such as technical and specialist pay, while at the same time a wide range of duties attract additional allowances.