Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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264. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will restore gratuity payments and other benefits previously received by members of the Reserve Defence Force; if he will ensure these members are not financially disadvantaged by undertaking their normal duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27586/16]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I have been hugely impressed by the work of the volunteer members of the Reserve Defence Force and have observed them in training and on ceremonial duties. Similar to many other voluntary organisations, members of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve undertake unpaid activities on a voluntary basis and are to be commended for their commitment. While members of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve are also afforded the opportunity to avail of paid training, there are no plans to restore gratuity payments to members of the Reserve Defence Force.

The Steering Committee which undertook the Value For Money (VFM) Review of the Reserve Defence Force recognised the importance of retaining an effective Reserve capacity that can augment the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) in times of need. In order to ensure appropriate training within the existing resource envelope, the VFM Review recommended the withdrawal of gratuities from members of the Reserve and the reallocation of this money to paid training. This recommendation was accepted and implemented. In the intervening years since publication of the VFM Review in 2012, the reallocation of funding to paid training has ensured that all members of the Reserve have been afforded the opportunity to participate in annual collective training and other specialised training and are financially supported whilst doing so.

The overall budget available in Subhead A5 in 2016 is set at €2.150 million, of which €2.068 million is allocated to paid training of Reserve members. This budget provides for 30,000 training man days. This allocation provides a minimum of 7 days annual paid training for all effective members of the Reserve. It also provides for 14 days paid training for all additional personnel recruited to the Reserve Defence Force in 2016 and for career and specialist courses for selected members of the Reserve. The allocation also includes provision for RDF participation in 2016 commemoration ceremonial parades and events.

I am satisfied with the current financial provision for the Reserve in terms of man days allowance. This allowance ensures that there are sufficient paid training opportunities available to members of the Reserve. These training opportunities, in turn, allows Reserve personnel to fulfil the roles allocated to them, which remain as set out in the 2015 White Paper on Defence, to augment the PDF in times of crisis and to participate in ceremonial events.