Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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72. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the hardship experienced by members of the Defence Forces as a result of poor pay and conditions; if he will recognise and engage with a group (details supplied) as a trade union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39912/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Similar to other areas of the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced during the financial crisis.

The recovery in the economy has afforded the opportunity for the Government to begin the restoration of pay to all public servants. Defence Forces pay is continuing to increase in accordance with public sector pay agreements. The focus of these increases is weighted in favour of those on lower pay.

Members of the Permanent Defence Force have received the pay increases due under the Lansdowne Road Agreement. In addition in 2017, following negotiations with PDFORRA improved pay scales for general service recruits and privates, who joined the Permanent Defence Force post 1 January 2013, were implemented.

The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 provides for increases in pay ranging from 6.2% to 7.4% over the lifetime of the Agreement. The first increase due from 1 January 2018 has been paid to Permanent Defence Force personnel and a second increase is due to be applied from 1 October 2018. Further increases in pay are scheduled for 2019 and 2020.

By the end of the current Public Service Pay agreement the pay of all public servants (including members of the Defence Forces), earning under €70,000 per annum, will be restored to pre FEMPI levels. The restoration of the 5% reduction to allowances cut under FEMPI is also scheduled in the agreement.

New entrants to the Defence Forces will also benefit from the measures which were recently announced in relation to amendments to the pay scales for new entrant public servants recruited since January 2011.

The Public Service Pay Commission was established to provide objective advice to Government in relation to Public Service remuneration policy. In 2017, under my direction, the Department of Defence brought issues of recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces to the attention of the Public Sector Pay Commission (PSPC). As a direct result of that initiative the PSPC is conducting an in-depth evidence based examination of those issues.

The Department of Defence has provided data as requested by the PSPC for consideration. The Commission's work is on-going. The Department of Defence will continue to engage with the Public Service Pay Commission throughout the process and will give due consideration to the findings and recommendations that arises from the work of the Commission.

The Defence (Amendment) Act 1990 and Defence Force Regulations S6 provided for the establishment of representative associations for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The associations that have since been established are RACO (for commissioned officers) and PDFORRA (for enlisted personnel).

The scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration (C&A) for members of the Permanent Defence Force provides a formal mechanism for the determination of claims and proposals from the Permanent Defence Force Representative Associations relating to remuneration and conditions of service.

Having regard to the many changes in the industrial relations landscape since the C&A scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force began, I considered it appropriate to conduct a fundamental review of the scheme, at this time, to ensure that it remains efficient and effective for all parties.

I appointed Mr. Gerard Barry to chair the review. I received Mr. Barry's report last week and I am considering the findings and recommendations. While I asked Mr. Barry to consider the issue of the representative associations affiliating with ICTU in the course of his review, there are no plans to provide full trade union rights to the Permanent Defence Force representative associations.