Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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1339. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the cost to introduce a minimum weekly gross wage of €600 for all full time employees under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34586/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Defence Organisation includes civil servants, military personnel and civilian employees attached to military installations.

The annual cost, including Employer’s PRSI, of introducing a minimum weekly gross wage of €600 in respect of Civil Service Staff and Civilian Employees employed by my Department is estimated at €344,554.82. The costs in relation to Civilians do not include those employees who are undergoing apprenticeship training.

The pay structures and conditions of service of members of the Permanent Defence Force contain professional and technical remuneration elements in addition to allowances in the nature of pay which reflect the unique aspects of military life both at home and abroad. As such, the non-standard time and attendance patterns of military personnel and the rates of remuneration associated with a wide spectrum of duties undertaken by such military personnel can vary across the different branches of the Defence Forces and, consequently, does not facilitate the general application of a threshold rate of pay.