Written answers

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Department of Defence

Departmental Staff

8:00 pm

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 435: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of claims submitted by PDFORRA and RACO respectively under the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme since 1 January 2008; the number of these claims which have resulted in reports recording agreement; the number which have resulted in reports recording disagreement; the number remaining unresolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17959/09]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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A large number of claims are received from the Representative Associations on an ongoing basis under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme. These claims are dealt with at Conciliation Council or subcommittee of Council and/or in the normal course of the day to day administration of the C & A Scheme.

Since January 2008 approximately forty claims have been submitted through the Conciliation Council by both PDFORRA and RACO. In addition a number of smaller type claims were submitted and dealt with at various sub committees set up under the Conciliation Council. The majority of claims have been finalised but a small number remain outstanding. Some of these are awaiting signature of Agreed/Disagreed Reports and others are awaiting hearing at facilitation or adjudication. Since 2008 a total of thirty eight Reports of Council have been signed with PDFORRA and RACO, twenty two of which have recorded agreement and sixteen disagreement. Some of these Reports would relate to claims submitted prior to 2008.

I am satisfied that the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme provides the mechanism for addressing issues which come within the associations' remit and scope. This scheme provides a range of fora to the associations, from formal Council and subcommittee meetings to less formal meetings and contacts as well as the facility to refer issues to facilitation, adjudication or arbitration where appropriate.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 436: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of claims and proposals involving RACO and PDFORRA, respectively, that have been referred to a third party in each of the years from 1999 to 2009, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17960/09]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and I am satisfied that to extract this information would take an excessive amount of work and time. I can assure the Deputy however that the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme provides the mechanism for addressing issues, which come within the associations' remit. This scheme provides a range of fora to the associations, from formal Council and subcommittee meetings to less formal meetings and contacts as well as the facility to refer issues to facilitation, adjudication or arbitration.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 437: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of civil servants by grade or rank in the conciliation and arbitration branch, the executive branch and the finance branch of his Department, respectively, on 1 September 1991, 1 September 1995, 1 September 2000, 1 September 2005 and 1 April 2009, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17961/09]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I have set out in the tables below the information requested for the years 2000, 2005 and 2009. Similar figures for earlier years are not readily available due to changes in the organisation and branch structure of the Department. The Deputy might like to be aware that overall staff numbers in my Department have fallen from 420 in 1991 to 380 in 2009. Conciliation and Arbitration Branch

YearsP.O.A.P.H.E.O.E.O.S.O.C.O.Totals
20001233Nil2.511.5
20051233Nil211
2009123.12.731Nil2.511.331

Executive Branch

YearsP.O.A.P.H.E.O.E.O.S.O.C.O.Totals
20001212118
200512321211
200912221210

Finance Branch

YearsP.O.ProfessionalAccountantA.P.H.E.O.E.O.S.O.C.O.Totals
20001131111.51990.5137
20051141415.516.584.5136.5
200911410.816.1517.385.8136.5

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 438: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of civil servants by grade or rank in his Department who have received formal training and education, respectively, in defence policy planning or analysis; the nature of that training or education; the system in place within his Department to ensure that his officials receive such education and training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17962/09]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I have set out in the table below details of relevant formal training and education courses undertaken by staff of my Department. My Department has a strong commitment to the training and development of staff. It has consistently met the Government target of devoting 4% of payroll to training. The Department holds the Excellence through People accreditation from FÁS and the Training & Development Section is ISO accredited.

As part of the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS), a personal training and development plan is developed on an annual basis for every member of staff. Progress with individual training plans is reviewed formally twice a year as part of the PMDS process. For a number of years now, there has been an increased focus on the development of the policy formulation and evaluation roles of the civil service staff of the Department and on securing value for money in defence expenditure. A major milestone in that regard was the 2000 White Paper on Defence. The strategic objectives and programmes to achieve the mission of the Defence organisation have been set out in successive strategy statements, most recently in the joint civil/military Statement of Strategy 2008 - 2010. I can assure the Deputy that I have complete confidence in the skills and capacity of the officials in my Department to advise me on all aspects of defence policy.

TABLE

Training / Education ProgrammeNumbersGrade
Masters in Policy Analysis3Principal Officer (PO), Assistant Principal (APO)
Higher Diploma in Policy Analysis2APO
Policy Analysis Skills2APO, Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Masters in Public Management1APO
ESDP (Brussels) - Orientation6PO, APO, HEO
ESDP (Brussels) - Higher Level2Assistant Secretary, PO
European Security Policy(3 month prog. in Geneva)1HEO
ESDP Defence Workshop9All grades
Legal Briefings and Workshops70All grades
Regulatory Impact Analysis3PO
Legislative Process14All grades
Strategic Emergency Planning3PO, APO, HEO
Leadership Challenge Programme2Assistant Secretary

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