Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that remuneration levels for Defence Force personnel are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54781/12]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to improve the pay and conditions of members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54794/12]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Defence his views on whether all ranks of the Defence Forces receive sufficient remuneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54931/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 22 and 167 together.

Rates of remuneration and conditions of employment in the Irish public sector have traditionally been set by reference to relative levels of pay across the various sectors of the Irish public sector. In this regard, the level of remuneration in the Defence sector has maintained relativity with the levels available in other related public sector employments.

A Scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for members of the Permanent Defence Force was established in 1993. It provides a formal mechanism for the representative Associations, RACO and PDFORRA, to engage with the Official side. The purpose of the scheme is to provide a means for the determination of claims and proposals from the Associations relating to remuneration and conditions of service. Since 1993, there have been significant developments and improvements in the pay and conditions of military personnel. The Representative Associations have been to the fore in advancing the interests of their members in this regard, bringing them in line generally with the pay and conditions available in other public service employments.

As the Deputies will appreciate, it has proved necessary to take very significant action in terms of adjusting downwards the pay and conditions for staff right across the Public Service. The Defence Forces cannot be immune to these changes and indeed have had similar pay cuts and a radical reorganization of the Defence Forces structures, which has reduced numbers serving and promotional opportunities for personnel. As a result of the continuing economic challenges facing the country and the requirement for further measures to restore fiscal sustainability, discussions have opened with the public sector trade unions affiliated to ICTU about mechanisms to deliver required savings of up to €1 billion in the public sector pay bill in the period 2013 - 2015. In parallel, discussions are also taking place between officials of my Department and the Associations representing members of the Permanent Defence Force.

It is of course open to the Representative Associations of the members of the Permanent Defence Force, subject to the terms of the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme and the Croke Park Agreement, to avail of the mechanisms in place should they wish to pursue any particular concerns in relation to the pay and conditions of their members.