Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if paragraph 12 of Concilliation Council Report No. 451 in respect of medical officer promotions will be implemented as agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34708/21]

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I wish to focus my question on paragraph 12 of CCR 451. This is a formal agreement between the Department of Defence and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, from 2013, which provides for the advancement of medical officers from captain to commandant after three years' service. I understand there has recently been some resistance to implementing this provision and would be grateful if the Minister could outline his position.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. This is quite a precise question. I assume the Deputy is referring to paragraph 12 of Conditions Governing the Appointment of Medical Officers in the Defence Forces Medical Corps 2013 which is attached to CCR 451. These terms and conditions, specific to the 2013 medical officers recruitment campaign, were agreed with the representative association. They provided that on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff, a medical officer in the Defence Forces who is granted a commission without limitation as to time may be promoted from captain to commandant on completion of three years' service and fulfilling the required criteria as laid down for such a promotion. Exceptionally, these 2013 terms and conditions, which were developed at a time of severe difficulties in recruiting and retaining medical officers in the Defence Forces, removed the requirement of completing nine years’ service in accordance with paragraph 8(3)(a) of Defence Forces regulation, DFR, A15. The subsequent 2017 to 2018 medical officers terms and conditions reinstated the requirement to complete nine years' service before any medical officer commissioned on foot of that competition may be promoted from captain to commandant.

It is important to note that the representative association was fully consulted at all stages of the development of the 2017 to 2018 terms and conditions and provided extensive and constructive comments on a whole range of areas within these 2017 to 2018 terms and conditions prior to their finalisation. At no time did the representative association, during those consultations, object to the reinstatement of the nine year requirement in accordance with DFR A15. Accordingly, the provision set out in paragraph 12 of the 2013 terms and conditions was only applicable to those medical officers commissioned on foot of that specific 2013 competition. The exceptional condition was necessary to address recruitment and retention difficulties that pertained at that time. These difficulties no longer applied at the time the subsequent 2017 to 2018 terms and conditions were being developed and agreed with the representative association.

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for outlining his position. It is a useful starting point at least. This administrative matter is actually below the Minister's pay grade. I would like to think it could have been solved at a lower level. I only bring it to his attention because it is a matter of the utmost importance. For instance, a quarter of Defence Forces medical officers are actually on the cusp of leaving the organisation as a result of the non-implementation of this provision. That would have huge consequences on our ability to maintain our overseas contingents, as I am sure the Minister can appreciate. For doctors in the HSE it is very straightforward to progress from intern to senior house officer to registrar and beyond. I know because I was a doctor in the HSE. I see no reason the same cannot apply to doctors in the Defence Forces. It is a really important retention tool. As such, I would be very grateful if the Minister could take a personal interest in this issue and hopefully bring it towards a satisfactory conclusion.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The starting position that must be understood is there was an exception to the normal terms and conditions in 2013 in an effort to deal with the recruitment and retention issues at that time, which were clearly an issue. There was not deemed to be the same difficulty or pressure point in 2017 and 2018 when the terms and conditions were essentially returned to normal. During that process, there was an ongoing consultation and discussion with the representative body. That is my understanding. I accept I have not been involved in the detailed discussions here but this is the briefing I have from my Department. It is not unusual for the terms and conditions around recruitment campaigns and so on to be tailored, essentially, in order to respond to the pressures that are there. Thus if there is a need to look at this again in terms of retaining medical staff in the Defence Forces then of course we will have to do that.

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for the commitment that he might at least review this or perhaps look at it and see if there is any latitude or flexibility that can be applied. My understanding - and it is just that - is that the CCR was open-ended and not specific to 2013 but again I will take the Minister's views on board from that perspective. That is all I have to say. I wished to highlight that this issue is really important. I am not joking in saying a quarter of medical officers are really considering their positions in the organisation as a result. If clarity could be brought to it or at least a bit more latitude provided in the interpretation of paragraph 12 it would certainly make a massive difference. I would be very grateful for any assistance the Minister could provide in that regard.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We will take a look at it now that the Deputy has raised it. As I said before, terms and conditions for any Defence Forces competitions are always individually developed and consulted on. Terms and conditions for such competitions, including for medical officers, can have materially different terms and conditions to what was previously provided for, depending on the recruitment and retention situation that applies at that point in time or any other changes we must respond to. If the Deputy is telling me there is a serious problem developing with keeping medical officers in the Defence Forces then we will have to respond to that as we have had to do with the Naval Service and as we have had to do successfully with the Air Corps. There are specialists that are absolutely essential parts of the functioning of the Defence Forces in terms of contribution, skill set and structure and we must ensure those essential skill sets are there as part of the overall complement. Medical officers are absolutely in that category.