Mr. Brian Molloy:

Most would accept, and the Deputy is on the record as acknowledging, the work done on pay and conditions for new recruits. The figures and the communication of them are making it clear to potential joiners to the Defence Forces that the pay, conditions and package of benefits available to new recruits has been significantly improved. There are various pay deal feed-throughs into existing pay and conditions. In terms of the recommendations, there are more pieces of work to be done around pay and conditions. Some of them were subject to further evaluation. They are being worked on and progressed. On the starting pay for a new recruit straight from leaving certificate, to be dramatic a 17- or 18-year-old with four weeks of training gets €40,000. Very few public sector jobs have that if you go in as a clerical officer or anything like that. I am not saying there is any equivalence between a clerical officer and a member of the Defence Forces. The responsibilities are very different, but historically going way back there was not that disparity with a starting salary of €40,000-odd for somebody of 17, 18 or 19 years of age. There is other work ongoing with regard to allowances, long service increments and other issues, which are progressing as we go through the plan and have timelines yet to be delivered on.