Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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35. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when the abatement waiver deal recently awarded to retired teachers who return to work in the public service will be extended to retired soldiers who return to work in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24604/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Public sector pension policy is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Section 52(4) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 provides for the granting of a waiver of abatement where the particular skills, training or experience required for a specific position are such that those skills, training or experience cannot be met other than by the engagement of a retired public servant.

Such waivers are granted at the discretion of the Minister of Public Expenditure & Reform in exceptional circumstances for a very limited and short period of time and each waiver application is assessed on its individual merits.

The exceptional nature of the Covid-19 crisis has required some sectors, including the education and health sectors in particular, to source staff at short notice to address the manpower challenges on the frontline of the COVID 19 crisis and I understand that temporary waivers of pension abatement have been sought and granted by the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform under the legislation in order to specifically facilitate those sectors response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Consideration was given to the question of applying a pension abatement waiver to returning members of the Permanent Defence Force but the re-enlistment and recommissioning schemes were not considered to be eligible given the length of service contracts on offer and the possibility of those contracts being further extended.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he has met with the representative organisations from the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24900/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, 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.

Officials from my Department continue to work with the Representative Associations in a positive and collaborative process within the C&A Scheme to resolve issues. There is also ongoing engagement on a regular basis between the Official side and the Representative side on a range of items which are processed through C&A.

Since my appointment as Minister with responsibility for Defence, I have met with the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (RACO) and the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) on three occasions: 17 July 2020, 20 October 2020 and 17 December 2020. I have also met with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association on one occasion on 23 November 2020.

I look forward to further continued constructive engagement with the Defence Forces Representative Associations.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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37. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the plans for the development of live in-base accommodation for serving members of the Defence Forces. [25005/21]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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53. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will invest in accommodation and ancillary services for members of the Defence Forces or their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24989/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 53 together.

It has been a long-standing policy, to discontinue the historic provision of tied housing to DF personnel. This policy of discontinuing housing provision was introduced for the Defence Forces in the late 1990's. It is not intended to reverse this long-standing policy.

The provision of housing is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and my Department assists in any way it can in support of such applications for assistance, when requested to do so.

Single-Living-In accommodation is provided in every permanently occupied military installation. It is provided for long term and transient use.

There is a 5 year infrastructure plan in place which is now being implemented that will significantly improve the quality of the Defence Forces building stock. The Plan forecasts the allocation of €145m towards investment over the period 2020 to 2025.

Some noteworthy projects aimed at improving accommodation standards for personnel are expected to commence on site in the coming months such as USAC (Renmore. Galway) and upgrades to Block H at McKee Barracks. The Deputy may wish to note the refurbishment project in Block 8 Haulbowline has now commenced. These projects represent a combined cost of €17m.