Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and his officials for their attendance. Has he read the submission made to his Department on 19 February 2018 by the strategic planning branch of the Chief of Staff's division? If so, what is his view on it? On family income supplement, it states that the approach of the Minister of State and the Department does not tally with the Government's loyalty to the Defence Forces as articulated by the Taoiseach and that media coverage of the number of Defence Forces personnel in receipt of the supplement has had an impact on the recruitment and retention of personnel in the Defence Forces. It further states that post the Lansdowne Road agreement pay increases an alarming number of Defence Forces members - 1,760 - are eligible for the family income supplement. I acknowledge there has been some disagreement on that issue. What is the view of the Minister of State on that issue in the context of the current pay and recruitment issues? Does he accept the view of the strategic planning branch in that regard?

Did he incorporate any of the recommendations made in the report in the submission of the Department to the Public Service Pay Commission? As the Minister of State is aware, air traffic control has been curtailed to daylight hours, air transport contracts have been outsourced, Naval Service operations have been curtailed and we have a massive recruitment and retention crisis. I ask the Minister of State to outline any update to a retention policy by his Department, if it has one. The report states that the current trend of premature voluntary retirement from the Defence Forces is not sustainable. The Defence Forces cannot continue to commit such a high proportion of its resources to training increasingly large intakes of recruits and cadets to the detriment of enhancing and evolving its capabilities to meet the threats of the dynamic operating environment. It also states that the Defence Forces cannot recruit its way out of the current situation and that retention must be the focus of restoring the strength of Defence Forces. I acknowledge that the Minister of State recently answered oral questions on this matter. What recommendations from the submission to his Department were included in the Department's submission to the Public Service Pay Commission? He stated in the Dáil that no recommendations were made by the Department despite this report containing multiple recommendations. He also stated that it is not his role to make recommendations. However, the terms of reference of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 outline that he can make recommendations and provide data. What is his view on that? Does he accept the report submitted to him in the context of multiple recommendations?

I ask him to outline the status of the submission by military management. It was reported in the media that the submission of the Department to the Public Service Pay Commission failed to include all relevant points raised by military management in its submission to the Department. The committee needs to know the level of agreement reached. Are the Department and military management at one on the issues of pay, retention and recruitment? The submission was produced by a strategic unit in the Chief of Staff's division. The Chief of Staff stated that he will make a plea to the Public Pay Commission on behalf of the members of the Defence Forces. Is that because there is a wedge between his view and the submission made by the Department? We need more clarity on that. Did the Department fully embrace the report of military management? What recommendations did the Department make to address the ongoing trend of problematic manning levels in the Defence Forces? The terms of reference allow for such submissions. What recommendations were made by military management in its submission to address the ongoing difficulties in manning levels in the Defence Forces? Did the Minister of State incorporate anything it outlined in his submission? Media reports suggest that was not the case.

On air ambulances, has the Minister of State received any military advice regarding concerns over the continuity of the air ambulance service? The Minister of State should provide clarity on that issue. Perhaps I can come back in to address it.

What is the status of the application of the EU working time directive to the Defence Forces in compliance with the ruling of the European Court of Justice? Does the Minister of State accept that the public plea by the Chief of Staff was an indication of his lack of confidence in the so-called joint submission that was made? I ask that he provide clarity on his conversations with the Chief of Staff, who is to come before the committee before Christmas and will be able to address the matter.

On the CASA tender, the plane in question is 30 years old. What is the update on that tendering process? A capital allocation has been made and a timeline put in place.