Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the permission for the PDFORRA and RACO to associate with ICTU. That is at least half a step forward. The measures to which I specifically referred are on page XXIV - it is in Roman numerals - in the report. The commission identified four things: it recommended an increase in military service allowance for people with fewer than three years' service; the introduction of long service increments; the simplification of offshore allowances for the Naval Service; and the introduction of a lance corporal rank of about 840 people. We have assembled an international panel of experts. We must remember that the military is the only group of workers in the country with no access to the Labour Court. In the spirit of constructive engagement, would the Minister accept that there is merit in recognising these pay recommendations from the commission as being equivalent to a Labour Court recommendation and as such should be accepted and implemented by the Government?

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