Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a matter from the Minister's constituency that has national significance. I refer to the crisis in the Naval Service, which I accept the Minister is fully briefed on because he is relatively local down there. I thank the Minister for the constructive engagement over the past two and a half years while he was in the role. Has there been major progress? I would say "No". Has the foundation for potential progress been laid? I would say "Yes". I acknowledge five measures. The fact that PDFORRA and RACO can affiliate with ICTU is a good thing. It would have been unthinkable three years ago and now it is just the norm. The improvement in pay for people with less than three years' military service is a good thing and is making a difference. The increased funding in the budget for 2023, improved accommodation at the base in Haulbowline and the purchase of two second-hand New Zealand ships, which are probably due in quarter one or two next year, are all good things. Are they progress? Probably not just yet but they are early indicators of potential progress.

The problem is that a ship is only as good as its crew and the crewing crisis in the Naval Service is a personnel crisis primarily. Unfortunately, 2022 has been a bad year again. There has been a net loss of 100 sailors this year. There should be 1,095 sailors but there are only 795 as of yesterday so it is down 300 crew and it is having a massive effect on morale and interfering with search and rescue operations, drug interdiction operations and national security operations so it is not just an industrial relations problem, it is a national security issue.

What is the solution? Staff retention is the key and the key to staff retention is implementing the findings of the Commission on the Defence Forces and the high-level action plan, particularly the pay components of that, including off-shore allowances. It is unacceptable that military sailors get paid a fraction of what other public servants get when they go to sea. Military sailors get approximately €60 gross per 24-hour period when they are at sea whereas the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, the Marine Institute in Galway and the Revenue Commissioners get multiples of that. That is the solution. If we are looking for the solution to the crisis in the Naval Service, it involves pegging the patrol duty allowance to other public servants when they go overseas.

How much will that cost? The estimated cost is about €6 million per year. If the Minister is looking to know how much it would cost to solve the Naval Service problem, it is €6 million per year. The beauty of it is that it does not need extra money. It can be met from existing resources if it is directed properly. There has been a lot of paperwork floating around over the past number of years. Where is the business case for increasing the patrol duty allowance? Is it in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and if so, when are we likely to get a favourable outcome?

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