Written answers

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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925. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if consideration will be given to increasing the salary of specialist practitioners in military medicine to match that with medical practitioners working in the Prison Service who have equivalent training, considering the existing discrepancy is impeding the Defence Forces in attracting doctors into the Medical Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30986/22]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am unable to comment on the pay of medical practitioners in the Prison Service. The Government remains fully committed to addressing pay and conditions across the Defence Forces, however.

The current public service pay agreement, ‘Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement 2021 – 2022’, provides for increases in pay and allowances to all public servants, including members of the Defence Forces. A general round increase in annualised basic salary of 1% or €500, whichever was the greater, came into effect on 1st October 2021. In addition, fixed periodic pensionable allowances, as well as allowances in the nature of pay, were also increased by 1% on this date.

The current pay agreement also provides for further increases in 2022, namely:

- The equivalent of a 1% increase in annualised basic salaries to be used as a Sectoral Bargaining Fund, in accordance with Chapter 2 of the Agreement, on 1st February 2022 last.

- A general round increase in annualised basic salaries for all public servants of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on 1st October 2022. Fixed periodic pensionable allowances and allowances in the nature of pay will also be increased by 1% on this date.

In addition to general round pay increases arising out of ongoing national pay agreements, members of the Permanent Defence Force have also benefitted from the implementation of increases in Defence Force’s allowances, as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission in 2019.

The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and I, as Minister for Defence, welcomed the publication of the report of the Commission on the 9th February last. The Commission has undertaken a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference, including an examination of the evolution of all remuneration systems and structures currently in place in the Defence Forces.

Given the significant recommendations contained in the Report, detailed consideration of these recommendations is required. This involves significant inter-departmental consultation, and I and my officials are currently engaging with key stakeholders to ascertain their views. Following this engagement, I intend to return to Government with a proposed response to the Commission’s recommendations and a high-level action plan.

Regarding the specific issue of doctors in the Medical Corps, I am informed that a strong direct entry pipeline, along with the impending graduation of the first two full-time appointments from the Military Medicine Training Scheme, as well as the availability of others in the scheme on placement, will soon bring the number of Medical Officers in the Defence Forces close to the establishment figure.

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