Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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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.

Since my appointment as Minister with responsibility for Defence, I have met with representatives from RACO and PDFORRA on a number of occasions, both formally and informally. I attended the PDFORRA Annual Delegate Conference which took place last October and in November 2018 I attended the RACO Annual Delegate Conference.

There is ongoing engagement on a regular basis between the Official side and the Representative sides through various Council and Council Sub-committees on a range of items which are processed through the auspices of the Defence Forces Conciliation & Arbitration Scheme. Officials in the Department of Defence keep me briefed of developments.