Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have spoken many times about the Public Service Pay Commission report on the Defence Forces but I have reached the end of my tether. The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, who has no control over public service pay, but who is doing his best to lead his charge, wrote on 20 June 2019 to his charge, that is, to all members of the Defence Forces. He said:

On the 31st of May I informed you that the Public Service Pay Commission report on the Defence Forces would be published in the coming weeks. It is now most likely that the report will be presented to Cabinet for approval next Tuesday, the 25th of June. The report will be made available to all members of the DF at the earliest opportunity after that and its contents and recommendations will need to be studied in detail. It is my intention with the General staff to visit the majority of Barracks and installations after the publication of the report.

Appropriate remuneration and conditions of service for all service personnel are fundamental priorities for the General Staff.

The representative bodies were told they had to meet the Department of Defence to hear the content of the Public Service Pay Commission's report. Several times over the last month and a half or so, they were told they needed to come in to hear the outcome of the report and yet on each occasion they were told that it would be the following week. Yesterday, the Taoiseach told the Dáil that it was never the intention to release the Public Service Pay Commission report. This has gone beyond a joke. Yesterday, members of the Judiciary received a €12,000 a year pay rise and I do not begrudge them their pay rise. Our Defence Forces are the most loyal citizens of the State and the only citizens of the State who sign away their right to take industrial action and defend this State and yet we treat them like this. Every year Ministers and taoisigh laud the founders and defenders of this State such as Padraig Pearse, Thomas McDonagh, etc. Maybe it is time we recognised those who gave their life in the service of this State. I intend to read into the record the names of every member of the Defence Forces who has died in overseas service.