Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if pay restoration for the Defence Forces is on target to be achieved in October 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28296/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Similar to other sectors in the public service, the pay of Permanent Defence Force personnel was reduced as one of the measures to assist in stabilising national finances during the financial crisis. Improvements within the economy have provided an opportunity for the unwinding of the FEMPI legislation which imposed pay cuts across the Public Service.

Pay is being restored to members of the Defence Forces and other public servants in accordance with public sector pay agreements. The focus of these increases have been weighted in favour of those on lower pay.

An increase of 2% on annualised salaries was paid from 1st October 2020, under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020. The 5% cut in allowances imposed under FEMPI were restored on that date.

The pay scales of all public servants (including members of the Defence Forces), earning under €70,000 per annum have been restored to the levels in place prior to the introduction of the Financial Emergency in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation.

In addition to the general round of pay increases awarded to public servants, members of the Permanent Defence Force have also benefitted from the implementation of increases in Defence Forces allowances as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission. This included a 10% increase in Military Service Allowance, the restoration of cuts in certain Defence Forces allowances imposed by the Haddington Road Agreement and the restoration of a service commitment scheme for flying officers.

The Permanent Defence Force representative associations will be included in the negotiations on a new national public service pay agreement.

The Programme for Government provides for the establishment of a Commission on the Defence Forces. This will consider, amongst other matters, pay and allowances and composition of the Defence Forces. The Programme for Government also states that upon completion of the Commissions work, a permanent pay review body for the Defence Forces will be established.