Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind the last speaker that this year, €21.2 billion will be paid out in social welfare and that the amount has increased each year since 2011, when we came into government. That €21.2 billion is currently being paid out.

The issue I raise is one that has been brought up in this House on a number of occasions over the last 12 months.It is now time to examine it from the point of view of the new round of wage negotiations that is due to commence across the public service. One group of people who will not be at those negotiations are members of the Defence Forces and the Naval Service. It is important to establish a new structure to deal with this issue, given that they are not at the negotiating table. There is a separate commission to deal with the members of defence forces who are not entitled to be at such negotiations in other EU countries. A separate commission should be established to deal with the pay structure needed for the Defence Forces. We must continue to increase the numbers in the Defence Forces and to ensure there is security for them. There must also be a clear picture as regards their salaries into the future. A separate pay commission should be established at an early date to deal with this issue and to ensure there is a proper structure whereby the Defence Forces can be adequately remunerated for the work they do, be that in respect of pay or allowances for difficult circumstances. We should give serious consideration to this.