Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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52. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if correspondence has taken place between his Department and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces regarding the desire of an organisation (details supplied) for trade union status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12345/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the provisions of the Defence Act 1954 as amended, the Defence Forces Representative Associations are currently prohibited from being associated with or affiliated with any trade unions or any other body without the consent of the Minister for Defence.

I am also aware that legal proceedings were initiated last year in relation to this issue. Accordingly, as this is a matter for the Minister of Defence in the first instance and it is now subject to litigation, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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53. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the European Committee on Social Rights report 2018 regarding the European Organisation of Military Associations v. Ireland Complaint No. 112/2014 (details supplied) that found Ireland had violated various articles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12347/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the provisions of the Defence Act 1954 as amended, the Defence Forces Representative Associations are currently prohibited from being associated with or affiliated with any trade unions or any other body without the consent of the Minister for Defence. Accordingly, this is a matter for the Minister of Defence.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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54. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether organisations (details supplied) were meaningfully consulted by his Departmental officials during the recent national pay negotiation talks; if the current structure for engagement with these organisations is necessary and sufficient for future national pay talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12350/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to ensuring that the process of engagement between the parties to pay negotiations including the recent negotiations which were facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission is based on fairness in the treatment of all concerned.

While the LEVEL 5 restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic presented very real challenges to the conduct of negotiations on a new public service agreement all parties were facilitated to the greatest extent possible. This included comprehensive engagement with all parties.

All organisations were involved in those discussions and were provided with drafts of key documents which formed elements of the eventual agreement reached.

A process of engagement with the parties began in 2019 and continued into 2020. In that regard all organisations attended multiple briefings prior to negotiations in November and December 2020.

The process of engagement continues and officials from my Department have met with all organisations in recent weeks to address queries on aspects of Building Momentum. The Government remains committed to according equitable treatment to all those in negotiations on public service collective agreements.

Unions / representative associations who decide to accept the agreement must notify the Workplace Relations Commission of their acceptance in order to be encompassed by the benefits of the agreement including Sectoral Bargaining the timelines for which are set out in the Agreement.