Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure whether the Deputy is aware that PDFORRA brought a claim within the provisions of the conciliation and arbitration scheme. Discussions within the scheme are confidential. In addition, the matter is now subject to legal proceedings. It would be totally inappropriate for me to comment on these cases. However, as the Deputy will be aware, it remains open to PDFORRA, under the terms of the scheme, to record its disagreement at council and to refer the matter for independent adjudication.

As I have stated, three individuals have taken separate cases. There is a number of reasons that people might be unable to take leave. To give a practical example, if an individual is selected for an overseas mission deploying in May, her or she may not be in a position to take annual leave for nine months of that year. He or she will commence pre-deployment training in March, deploy in May, return in November and then avail of post-deployment special leave of 30 days, which is in addition to the three weeks' mission leave. The only time available to him or her to take annual leave would be in January, February or December. This is mitigated, however, by the provision to carry over 19 days' leave in these circumstances, as I stated earlier.

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