Dáil debates

Wednesday, 7 July 2010

Other Questions

Defence Forces Strength

3:00 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Defence if the strength of Permanent Defence Forces will be maintained at agreed overall level 10,000 for lifetime Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, Croke Park Agreement; and he make a statement on matter. [29905/10]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Defence if the terms of Croke Park proposals will apply to Defence Forces; and he make a statement on matter. [30144/10]

Photo of Bernard AllenBernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Defence if the associations representing members of Permanent Defence Forces have accepted terms Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, Croke Park Agreement; and he will make a statement on matter. [29896/10]

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 32 and 36 together.

Within the context of consolidating the public finances, the Government is focused firmly on maintaining the operational efficiency of the Permanent Defence Force. Government approval was secured in the context of budget 2010 for a level of 10,000. I have put most of this information on the record already, except for a part of my reply relating to the Croke Park agreement.

I intend, with the support of the Chief of Staff and within the resources available, to retain the capacity of the organisation. With regard to the terms of the Croke Park proposals the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, accepted the terms of the Croke Park agreement at a special delegate conference on 29 June 2010. The Permanent Defence Force Representative Association, PDFORRA, has rejected the proposals. The implications of the rejection by PDFORRA of the Croke Park proposals are currently being considered.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister said the implications are currently being considered. Who is doing the considering and when might the Minister come to a decision on the situation?

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I am not directly involved in the considerations. It is a matter between the military authorities, the association and the Department. There is nothing sinister about the situation. It just happens that some of the organisations, in this case PDFORRA and other trade unions, did not vote in favour of the Croke Park agreement. If there are implications, I will bring them to the attention of the House at the appropriate time.

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Against a background where RACO accepted the proposals and PDFORRA rejected them, is it possible the proposals could apply to the RACO members of the Defence Forces and not to the PDFORRA members and, thereby, be a recipe for division within the Defence Forces? That is a position that should be avoided at all costs.

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Croke Park agreement provides significant safeguards for all public servants. The issue is, obviously, a matter for representative associations and trade unions. As it happens, the four of us here currently are members of a trade union of a particular profession, two of which voted against and one in favour of the proposals. I am sure the details around the agreement will be worked out. I assure Deputy O'Shea that no precipitative action that might cause difficulties or undermine the integrity of the Defence Forces relationship with the Department will be taken.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Can the Minister give us any indication as to what was included in the modernisation agenda that formed part of the pay negotiations and discussions in respect of the Defence Forces?

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That broadens the scope of the question somewhat.

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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One of the criticisms of the agreement was that matters were not spelled out in the kind of detail they could have been. That was the complaint across the entire public sector. Clarifications were sought and given to the general public sector which did not automatically seem to apply, for example, to sectors like teaching, nursing etc. That, to some extent, would be the case with the military and this may have given rise to people taking particular positions, more in fear of possible outcomes than with regard to concrete proposals. That is something that must be worked out. I am confident there will not be any major difficulties in that regard.

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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With regard to these proposals, is there a prospect of structural changes in terms of the formation of the Defence Forces, the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps, particularly with regard to how they relate to one another? Is it likely there will be a more integrated approach between them? Furthermore, how will the Croke Park proposals affect the Department in terms of how it interfaces with the Defence Forces?

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I did not answer that part of Deputy Stanton's question. A number of aspects of the Croke Park agreement affect the Defence Forces. These include: ongoing co-operation with the overall review and restructuring of the Defence Forces - which I do not think that will create any difficulty; flexible and efficient deployment and redeployment, on which, perhaps, I should not comment; a review of the current technical grading systems, a matter that might be of concern to some Members; co-operation with the implementation of the restructuring of the medical services; review of the tasks attracting security duty allowances and eligibility for those allowances; the review of the non-commissioned officers promotion scheme; and a merit-based competitive promotion policy as a norm in the service. These are the main general points.