Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

PDFORRA has long held the belief that affiliation to ICTU is imperative for truly effective and equitable negotiations to be undertaken on behalf of its membership. This view has been held by the membership of PDFORRA since 1995 when a vote on the matter was passed unanimously by delegates at its conference. Speaking at that conference in 1995, Peter Cassells, the ICTU general secretary, informed the delegates that while he recognised that the Defence Forces had a special role to play, members should still have a say on pay, taxation, social welfare and health and that this should be conducted through ICTU. Subsequent attempts by PDFORRA to petition various Ministers to grant affiliation status have been rejected.

Two years ago the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, made a successful petition to the European Committee of Social Rights, ECSR. PDFORRA reviewed that determination and considered the parallels between the circumstances of PDFORRA and the AGSI and also petitioned the ECSR. PDFORRA believes that the protections enshrined within the European Social Charter should apply to its members also. National pay agreements have been the norm in this country for many years and in the absence of the ability to highlight at central negotiations the matters affecting members of PDFORRA its effectiveness at negotiation is severely hampered. While there is a conciliation and arbitration scheme in existence for members of the Permanent Defence Forces, for many reasons this scheme is limited in scope and power. It is also identical to the scheme enjoyed by An Garda Síochána which was the subject of its complaint to the European Committee of Social Rights.

Finally, it could reasonably be stated that the appropriate benchmarks of a democratic society are that any restrictions placed upon its citizens are proportional, reasonable and necessary. I look forward optimistically to a review of the Minister's position.

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