Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

337. To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to address cuts to the salaries and expenses of Defence Forces personnel. [6111/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009-2013 and the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement) define current pay policy.

Under the terms of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement), with effect from 1 January 2016, the exemption threshold for payment of Pension Related Deduction (PRD) increased from €15,000 per annum to €26,083 per annum and on 1 January 2017 it will further increase to €28,750. This means for all public servants, including members of the Permanent Defence Force that by the start of 2017 remuneration below €28,750 will no longer be liable to PRD which will reduce the impact for PRD affected public servants by €1,000.

For the majority of public servants, including members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), in addition to the PRD benefits outlined above, there is a significant reduction, weighted in favour of the lower paid, of the pay cuts suffered under the 2009 FEMPI legislation. These come in the form of increases in gross pay in 2016 for those on lower pay (up to €31,000) and in 2017 for all on pay up to €65,000.

For any public servant, including members of the PDF, whose annualised salary is below €24,001 there was an increase in gross pay of 2.5% from 1 January 2016. For those on annualised salaries between €24,001 and €31,000 there was an increase in gross pay of 1% from 1 January 2016. For all those on annualised salaries up to €65,000 there will be an increase in gross pay of €1,000 from 1 September 2017.

Lastly, Paragraph 5.3 of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018, (Lansdowne Road Agreement), states that “The Parties have agreed that any outstanding adjudications as referred to in paragraph 1.16 of the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 will be reviewed jointly by the Parties prior to the expiry of this agreement.” The review mechanism is the subject of ongoing consideration in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.