Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. The reason I raise the Labour Court issue is that many of the Minister's Cabinet colleagues would probably not be aware – I would not expect them to be aware – that military personnel are the only people without access to the Labour Court. To me, a panel of international experts recommending specific pay improvements should at least hold equivalence. It gives the Minister a small level of leverage from a negotiation point of view with his Cabinet colleagues. There is legislation which would give the Minister significant leverage, in that these recommendations in the commission’s report really only bring many of the troops up to the national minimum wage of €10.50 an hour. The Minister’s Cabinet colleagues may not be aware that the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 applies to the Defence Forces but is currently not being applied. Those two factors should certainly be considered. The military has no access to the Labour Court and some of these recommendations are only bringing military pay up to the national minimum wage. I would be grateful if the Minister would raise that with his Cabinet colleagues. It is a significant point of leverage when it comes to negotiations.

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