Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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65. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the estimated cost of restoring annual leave hours lost be members of the Defence Forces as a result of their exclusion from working time legislation in each of the years 2016, 2017 and to date 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32062/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The principles underlying the Working Time Directive are based on ensuring the health and safety of employees. The implications of the Working Time Directive and its implementation, in respect of the Defence Forces, have been the subject of an intensive and on-going review by my Department for some time. This is a complex matter having regard to the nature of the work of military forces, and the Working Time Directive recognises this complexity. An estimate as sought by the Deputy has not been conducted and is not available.

My Department has initiated discussions with the Defence Forces Representative Associations, through the Conciliation and Arbitration process with, regarding the application of the provisions of the Working Time Directive to the Defence Forces.

As there is litigation pending in the High Court on the matter of the transposition of the Working Time Directive including as it relates to annual leave, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.