Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is fully aware that under the pay deal, Defence Forces pay will eventually return to 2008 levels in 2020. Yahoo. He should look at the increases in the cost of living and rents. What a great thing that members of the Defence Forces will have their pay brought back to 2008 levels. They are among the lowest paid public sector workers in the country. It is disingenuous of the Minister of State to refer to those earning €70,000 because they are not the majority in the Defence Forces.

When will the Minister of State give recognition to the members of PDFORRA, as recommended by the European Committee on Social Rights? That is my core question. It is interesting that the Government is able to recommend introducing certain things the European Union says we must have in this country, for example, water charges, but refuses to recognise workers' rights. These workers need recognition. They need to be members of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, and they do not need to be taking the Minister of State to court because they were threatened with legal action for taking part in a march outside the Dáil over low pay and conditions a couple of months ago. That was a shocking thing to do to those people and it will embarrass the Government when the case for freedom of assembly becomes public knowledge when it comes to court. The Defence Forces should be given the right to free assembly and decent pay and conditions. Failing that, the Government will face the consequences.

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