Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Defence the savings that will accrue to his Department arising from the public service pay cuts applied by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009; the number of personnel whose pay has been cut; the average reduction in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1989/10]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009 provides for the reduction of public service salaries of up to €125,000 by:

5% on the first €30,000 of salary;

7.5% on the next €40,000 of salary; and

10% on the next €55,000 of salary.

In addition, the Act provides for a 5% reduction in fixed rate allowances payable to such public servants

While the REV (Revised Estimates Volume) details for the Defence Vote have not yet been finalised with the Department of Finance, it is estimated that gross savings in the order of €34m will accrue in 2010 arising from the reductions in remuneration.

There are three broad categories of employees on my Department's payroll, and the payroll numbers affected in each category on 1 January 2010 were:

9915 military personnel (including Army Nursing Service);

402 civil servants (including Civil Defence); and

760 civilian employees.

Based on payroll outturn for 2009 and the average numbers in each category during 2009, it is estimated that the average percentage pay reduction for each category will be:

5.8% for military personnel;

5.9% for civil servants; and

5.4% for civilian employees.

I should add that members of the Reserve Defence Force will be paid at the same (reduced) rates when on paid training as their PDF counterparts.