Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I mentioned in an earlier reply the details of starting pay which has increased very significantly in the last number of years. The starting rates of pay in the Defence Forces now compare very well to comparable rates of pay across the public service. In addition, a range of financial and non-financial measures have been introduced such as the extension of private secondary medical care to all Defence Forces personnel. New work-life balance initiatives have also been introduced. Allowances for the Army Ranger Wing have been approved and, as the Deputy knows, we have replaced the existing seagoing allowances with less complex seagoing duty measures. As Deputies may have heard of last week, I was pleased to announce that the patrol duty allowance paid to Naval Service personnel is to be doubled after ten days at sea, and that will take effect from 1 January 2024. In recognition of the commission's recommendation, this new measure provides far greater clarity regarding the overall package available to our Naval Service personnel and potential recruits. By any yardstick, very significant progress has been made on pay and allowances and also on capability and equipment, which is dealt with in a later question.

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