Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 71 together.

I am pleased to have an opportunity to put a number of points on the record. I assure the Deputies that I have ongoing engagement with civil and military management on all matters affecting the Defence Forces, including staffing matters. I attended the PDFORRA conference yesterday discussing some of these issues. The Government has previously acknowledged the recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service, which present ongoing challenges. This is the case, in particular, for the specialist positions, as the current competitive jobs market is proving challenging for all sectors. The high standard of training provided by the Defence Forces makes its members ever more attractive to private sector employers. However, I am advised by the military authorities that the report referenced by the Deputies is not accurate. Three of the five artificers referred to are trainees who are in the process of discharge, and they did not comprise the entire class, as reported. The two other personnel were fully qualified personnel who have been discharged. There are currently 20 electrical artificer vacancies, with a training pipeline of 20 at various stages, including the three in the process of discharge.

In response to the challenges in the Naval Service, I approved a comprehensive Naval Service regeneration plan in 2021 which is being progressed and monitored by a high level civil-military team. The aim of the plan is to address issues, including human resource matters, facing the Naval Service. A number of the staffing measures in the plan have been implemented. Furthermore, a new recruitment campaign specifically targeting Naval Service recruits is being progressed.

The terms and conditions for the Naval Service entry scheme were revised in 2021 to increase the age limit of technicians and to provide for flexibility in respect of the starting point of the pay scale for marine engineering officers. This flexibility is also being progressed for certain other Naval Service specialists. Other specific retention measures include the seagoing Naval Service personnel tax credit, which has been extended into next year. In addition, having spoken to many in the Naval Service, the seagoing service commitment scheme has also been extended into next year and eligibility criteria for the scheme have been revised. The Naval Service also benefits from wider Defence Forces retention measures such as improvements in pay as a result of recent pay agreements and the extension of service limits for privates and corporals. Greater visibility on the wider benefits of membership of the Defence Forces also arises through the recently announced, and ongoing, Be More recruitment campaign.

That answer sounds a bit defensive. I know that we do have real issues in the Naval Service. Many Members have raised them with me. They are far from solved, but we are doing multiple things at the moment to try to turn the tide on that. It is going to take some time. We are investing heavily in Haulbowline and in new equipment. We have made decisions, as of yesterday, on the back of agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to significantly increase the pay of people in their first few years of service. In effect, we are raising pay from a starting salary of €30,000 to just under €35,000. We must also take into account the full application of the Naval Service allowance, NSA, and the removal of the requirement to mark time for the first three years. A lot of things are happening, some of which I outlined at the PDFORRA conference yesterday. It is going to take us some time to get back to where we need to be in terms of recruitment and retention in the Naval Service but it is a big priority for me.

See this speech in context