Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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238. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the engagement he has had with the Defence Forces representative bodies in an attempt to progress and deal with the concerns raised by them, particularly in respect of systemic failures of the current Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme, internal organisation consultation practices and national level pay talks engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18763/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) provides a formal mechanism for the PDF 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. My Department does not accept that there are systemic failures in the current Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme.

The Deputy will be aware that the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009-2015 and the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement) define current pay policy.

I have corresponded with the Defence Forces Representative Bodies offering to meet them to discuss concerns that they may wish to raise with me.