Results 7,821-7,840 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Other Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: From the most recent figures available, as of 31 October 2017, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 9,219 whole-time equivalent, WTE, personnel. In recent years, the levels of departures have exceeded intakes and this has presented challenges in meeting the establishment strength of 9,500 personnel. To fill vacancies, there is significant ongoing recruitment at both enlisted...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Pensions (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: 5 o’clock This issue was raised on numerous occasions at meetings of the representative associations. As a consequence, officials in my Department and association delegates met with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to discuss it. I take Deputy Daly's point that if a member who was recruited before 1 January 2013 retires from the Permanent Defence Force at a...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Pensions (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I agree that Defence Forces members are different from other public servants. The Deputy may be aware that I have undertaken to review the contracts of recruits from 1994 and 2006. The change we are discussing will not affect anybody immediately, being applicable only to those who joined after 1 January 2013. This means it will be 2040 or perhaps the mid-2040s before there is an impact on...

Other Questions: Army Barracks (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 59, 79 and 82 together. As part of a whole-of-government approach, my Department is engaged in forward planning with the other Departments involved in addressing all issues relevant to the United Kingdom decision to exit the European Union. Recruitment to the Defence Forces is at an historically high level. By the end of October, 702 personnel...

Other Questions: Army Barracks (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: It is a matter for An Garda Síochána to request the assistance of the Defence Forces. Following the successful talks last week on the European stage and between the Government and its British counterpart, I do not foresee a need for members of the Defence Forces to be stationed once again along the Border. Nobody in this House wants to see that. If the support of the Defence...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I am determined to ensure that the Reserve Defence Force does not go into decline, but my number one priority must be recruitment to the PDF and getting its strength back up to 9,500 personnel. As I stated in my reply, the Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve began their recruitment campaign in July 2017 and attracted 1,221 applications, and 128 personnel have been inducted so far in 2017....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: One of the areas the Deputy referred to was recruitment. I had a long conversation with the RDFRA about this and I have asked my Department, the Defence Forces and RDFRA to discuss what RDFRA wants out of the recruitment process, the way in which it wants it run and, if it has any ideas in this regard, to bring them to both the relevant civil and military bodies and ensure RDFRA knows the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Pensions (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the absence of the concept of "supplementary pensions" from the provisions of the single public service pension scheme. The occupational pension scheme terms of post-1 January 2013 new entrants to the public service, including the PDF, are governed by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. All first-time new...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy was in government with me from 2011 to 2016 and saw at first hand the challenges faced by the country and the decisions that had to be taken. Now that we are in better economic times, there is an opportunity to give back to all public servants what was taken from them during the recession. That is why the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, has set out a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy stated that 20% of members of the Permanent Defence Forces are in receipt of family income supplement. I ask him to check his figures. Fewer than 117 members of the Defence Forces out of a total personnel of a little over 9,200 are in receipt of family income supplement. To state that 20% are in receipt of family income supplement is untrue. That myth has been peddled in recent...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Plenty of public servants receive family income supplement and that depends on their family circumstances, which is why the payment is available. I have put in place a full review of the conciliation and arbitration scheme as both PDFORRA and RACO have sought for many years and will soon be announcing a chairperson in that regard. I heard Deputy Howlin's proposal last week regarding taking...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The White Paper on Defence confirms that the primary role of the Reserve is to augment the Permanent Defence Force in times of crisis. In non-crisis situations, the main focus is on training to prepare for that role. The Government has also assigned a formal role to the Reserve in respect of contributing to State ceremonial events. The Government appreciates the service of the members of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: First, I recognise that we do have challenges at officer level, specifically at the ranks of lieutenant and captain. There were, however, increases in the cadet classes in 2016 and 2017 and I am committed to continuing to have large intakes of cadets because it is the only way in which we can address the challenges we have at officer level. I do not want to stop officers going overseas or...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The figures I gave are accurate. I got them from my Department. The current officer strength level is 86%. I absolutely recognise that we have challenges in specific areas. I have stated this on numerous occasions. I am trying to come up with proposals and ideas on how to surmount those challenges. One of the things I have asked for is direct entry and re-entry. A number of officers,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: As I stated in an earlier reply, the rates of pay and conditions of employment in the Defence Forces have traditionally been set by reference to relative levels of pay across the various parts of the public sector. Arising from the serious financial crisis the country faced, the pay of members of the Permanent Defence Force was reduced in a similar way to that of staff in other areas of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I do not have the powers to do that. That accusation has been put to me previously. This only affects people who retire early and are on permanent retirement. If an officer of member of the Defence Forces retires at 50 or 55 years of age and he or she continues to work for ten years, up to the official retirement age, they do not get the supplementary pension. It only affects a small...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: Rates of pay and conditions of employment in the Defence Forces have traditionally been set by reference to relative levels of pay across the various sectors of the Irish public sector. Like other areas within the public service, the pay of the Permanent Defence Force was reduced during the financial crisis. The Government appreciates the contribution made by all public servants, including...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: There has been a decrease in the number of people in receipt of family income supplement. The latest figure is 117, but it has decreased since the pay increases came into being. I have heard reports of Defence Forces members having to sleep in cars. I do not dispute it but if it is the case and the Deputy has examples, I would appreciate it if he would bring those cases to my attention....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: I will make sure that nobody is victimised, nor should they be victimised, if they approach either association because they have fallen on hard times. I find it unbelievable to think that people would be victimised in such a way. The Deputy spoke about the 24-hour duty allowance. I met the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, two weeks ago to discuss this matter....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: The 2015 White Paper on Defence commits to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 October 2017 stood at 9,219, whole-time equivalent, which is 97% of the establishment. This comprises 7,417 member of the Army, 744 members of the Air...