Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too extend solidarity to the families and former members of the Defence Forces who are currently parading through the streets of Dublin and making their way towards Leinster House. Members of the Defence Forces and their representative organisations have consistently been sidelined in public service pay negotiations and are excluded from trade union membership or affiliation to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU. They are legally prevented from engaging in public demonstrations or protests about their terms and conditions, which is why they have to rely on their representative organisations to raise the issues, or their family members and former members to parade through this city. The Government has taken full advantage of their loyalty, as a former brigadier general has said. He has outlined that the bond between members of the Defence Forces and the State has been broken. I recently met the representative organisations of the Defence Forces. They confirmed to me that there was chaos in the Defence Forces, which are haemorrhaging members, not just long-serving members but also many new recruits. This is exerting extra pressure on morale which is already low. Morale is a foundation any army, navy or air corps has to have. The Government is well aware of this and was made aware of it before the University of Limerick report in 2017.

Recently the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, was forced to go to the High Court to vindicate the rights of members of the Defence Forces in the context of the provisions of the working time directive. They were forced to go to the European Committee on Social Rights to vindicate the right to engage in collective bargaining on working terms and conditions. That members of the Defence Forces have had to fight the Government tooth and nail, both at home and elsewhere in Europe, to have basic rights ensured is a disgrace. It is even more disgraceful that the Government has still not taken action to implement court decisions. The Defence Forces are expected to lose another 700 members this year, with many moving to the private sector for better pay and working conditions. Since members of the Defence Forces are unappreciated by this and the last Government, the State has had to outsource many services and some of work that was done, for example, by the air ambulance service, which is penny wise and pound foolish.

Will the Minister explain the reason for the delay in the Department making a submission to the Public Service Pay Commission? Is there a dispute between the Department and the military authorities on the content of the submission? Will the Minister explain when the Government intends to give effect to the rights of members of the Defence Forces under the working time directive? Will she provide for collective bargaining rights for members of the Defence Forces?

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