Gabrielle McFadden (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I feel as if I am repeating myself every week as I am raising the issue of the Defence Forces again today. I welcome the fact that the Public Service Pay Commission's report into pay and recruitment in the Defence Forces is before Cabinet and that it will be finally released. We have waited far too long for the report. This is the 20th time in the past two years that I have raised the issue of pay and conditions in the Defence Forces.Like Senator Craughwell, I, too, have raised a variety of issues pertaining to the Defence Forces which affect morale. The major issue is pay. Today's report will not solve all of our problems, but it is welcome that progress is being made. The reversal of the cuts to allowances made back in the day is very important. I also welcome the restoration of the duty allowance. It is welcome that PDFORRA is supporting it. It put the case to the Public Service Pay Commission and both it and the Government listened. However, we need to ensure we will do more. No soldier wearing the Irish uniform should work for less than the living wage which is greater than the national minimum wage. No one should ever have to rely on family income supplement, as I have said on numerous occasions. I hope today is not the end of a process. I believe it is not but the first step in the next one. I will continue to lobby on behalf of the members of the Defence Forces to ensure they are paid a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.