David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Speaking on "Morning Ireland" this morning, the former head of the Army Ranger Wing, Commandant Cathal Berry, said that the purported pay package for members of the Defence Forces to be announced today amounts to "too little, too late". It is hard to disagree. The Minister talked about team Ireland. These are people who put their lives on the line for team Ireland. He said that what is on offer will work out at just €1 a day before tax for many soldiers and that "this is the kind of money you would give a child to get sweets and that is what the Government thinks of the Defence Forces." Again, it is hard to disagree. There is a serious recruitment and retention crisis in the Defence Forces, as there is in some areas in our public services on the front line. Some 3,700 personnel left the Defence Forces over the last number of years. The average turnover is currently 9%. In the Naval Service it is 14%. These people are voting with their feet. They do so because of the very low levels of pay that they receive. They pay mortgages and rent. Like everybody else, they are caught with the high cost of living, childcare, sending children back to school and all of the costs that families have to bear. They do so on very low and unsustainable levels of pay. Many soldiers see a long-term career in the Defence Forces as unsustainable and unviable. Those are the words they use. That is why for the sake of their families they are unfortunately leaving in their droves. Defence Forces personnel are among the worst paid workers in the public service.

This is relevant to the Minister's portfolio. There are Defence Forces families that are reliant on the working family payment. The fact that many families cannot make ends meet means they are dependent on welfare transfers simply to get by. Imagine people who work in the public service not being paid a living wage. Imagine people who put their lives on the line and who are the front line for this State getting welfare transfers because the State will not pay them what they are due. They legitimately ask for a pay increase to compensate, in the first instance, what was taken from them when FEMPI cuts were imposed on them by others in this House. Pay was unilaterally taken from them by previous Governments and all they are looking for is justice and fair work. They are also looking to be represented by a trade union or representative body. We hear from the Cabinet meeting that there will be some movement in the area of pay and allowances which, as the Defence Forces themselves are saying, it is too little, too late. Some form of yellow-pack collective bargaining and trade union membership has also been proposed. Does the Minister accept the words of Commandant Berry when he says this is too little, too late? Does she accept that an awful lot more needs to be done to ensure that these workers are paid a fair wage? Does she accept that it is unacceptable that welfare transfers are being paid to these workers? Will she commit to full collective bargaining rights for all members of our Defence Forces?

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