Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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541. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the difficult financial situation members of the Defence Forces are in, in particular in circumstances in which there are young families, due to the low pay and difficulty in making ends meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51467/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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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. Like other areas within the Public Service, the pay of the Permanent Defence Force was reduced during the financial crisis. The reductions in pay and the introduction of a Pension Related Deduction was on a graduated basis with increased rates of deductions for those on higher earnings.

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

The Government recognise the contribution made by all public servants including members of the Permanent Defence Force, during the economic crisis and have taken measures to improve public sector pay, with the focus of the increases weighted in favour of those on lower pay.

PDFORRA signed up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement in March 2017. The finalisation of negotiations under the agreement allowed for the commencement of the process for the implementation of pay increases and arrears, which have now been applied to the Permanent Defence Force. An increase of 2.5% from 1 January 2016, for annualised salaries up to €24,000 and 1% for annualised salaries between €24,001 and €31,000 was included in the weekly payroll of 5 July 2017. An increase of €1,000 from 1 April 2017, on annualised salaries up to €65,000 per annum was paid on 19 July 2017.

The pay of general service recruits and privates who joined the Permanent Defence Force post 1 January 2013, has been increased further following an agreement, facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), between the Department of Defence, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and PDFORRA. These improved payscales, have been backdated to 1 July 2016. The payments were made to relevant personnel on 30 August 2017.

Going forward, there is the potential for further increases arising from the recent negotiations on the extension to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 contains proposals for:

- a 7.25% increase over the period of the agreement for those earning less than €30,000 per annum,

- a 6.75% increase over the period of the agreement for those earning between €30,001 and €32,000 per annum, and

- a 5.75% increase over the period of the agreement for those earning over €32,000 per annum.

The proposals have been presented to the Permanent Defence Force Representative Associations who participated in the negotiation process. The representative associations are currently considering the Agreement which will subject to acceptance by ballot of the members of the Associations.

The agreement will bring undoubted benefits to members of the Permanent Defence Force. I encourage members of the Permanent Defence Force to ballot for acceptance, so that they may start to feel the benefits of the increases in pay arising from the agreement in early 2018.