John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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452. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of apprentices are there on points 1-3 of the pay scale, inclusive, for enlisted personnel of the Permanent Defence Forces in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39012/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are a total of 67 apprentices currently serving in the Permanent Defence Force, of which 47 are on points 1 to 3 of the payscale. The table below shows the breakdown of the number of apprentices on each of the referenced scale points.

Apprentices in all sectors, including Defence are paid a proportion of the qualified rate, increasing on a yearly basis. This is the norm for all apprentices

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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453. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the details of the wages cost per year for the provision of security at Portlaoise Prison by members of the Defence Forces over the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39013/22]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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454. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of hours worked per year over the past five years by members of the Defence Forces while providing security at Portlaoise Prison in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39014/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.

The Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP), which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so.

Defence Forces personnel acting in an armed Aid to the Civil Power role, deploy troops on the direction of the Government, in order to assist the Prison Service and An Garda Síochána. They provide 24/7, 365 days a year, security at Portlaoise Prison.

Military personnel drawn from all Brigades are mobilised into a special unit for this purpose. Each unit's tour of duty normally lasts for about two months on a four days on, two days off rota basis. In addition to basic pay, prison duty allowance is paid to personnel of the Permanent Defence Force below the rank of Commandant engaged on security duties in Portlaoise prison, currently this daily Prison Duty allowance is between €84.37 and €86.71 depending on rank. There is also a separate on call Portlaoise Hospital Guard Allowance for Enlisted Personnel of €28.12 (weekday) and €56.22 (Sunday and Defence Forces Holiday), for escorting prisoners to medical appointments.

The table below provides the breakdown for the last 5 years of the total number of hours worked based upon the total number of security and support staff provided to Portlaoise Prison. The table also outlines the allowances paid to the Defence Forces while providing security at the Prison. The yearly costs of basic pay, military service allowance or any other allowances paid are not included, as regardless of employment on Prison Duties, Defence Forces personnel are still in receipt of their pay.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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455. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the details of the allocation and costs of the military service allowance, including payments made; the number and rank of personnel who received payment; the tax that is owed on the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39015/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Military service allowance is paid to Defence Forces personnel for the special disadvantages associated with military life. The number in receipt of military service allowance for 2021 was some 8,600 personnel at an annual cost of some €52.5 million.  

The tax collected in respect of military service allowance in each individual case will vary from person to person depending on the personal tax credits, reliefs and exemptions applied by the Revenue Commissioners.

The distinguishing feature of military service allowance is that it is paid on a continuous basis to every member of the Defence Forces up to the rank of Colonel (with the exception of those in training or in third-level education) regardless of the appointment held or duty undertaken.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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456. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide details of the costs of the navy patrol duty allowance payment, including payments made; the number and rank of naval personnel who received payment; the tax that is owed on the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39016/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Patrol duty allowance is payable to personnel serving aboard a Naval Service ship on patrol away from the Naval Base. The number in receipt of this allowance for 2021 was 502 personnel at a cost of some €1.6 million.

The tax collected in respect of patrol duty allowance in each individual case will vary from person to person depending on the personal tax credits, reliefs and exemptions provided by the Revenue Commissioners.

Defence Forces personnel undertaking sea-going duties are paid patrol duty allowance for each patrol day that they undertake. This is in addition to their basic pay, military service allowance and any other applicable allowances.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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457. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel who were paid the specialised instructor's allowance from 2017 to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39017/22]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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458. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount paid under the specialised instructor allowance from 2017 to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39018/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together.

To answer the Deputy’s questions, the following table outlines the amount of specialised instructor allowance paid to enlisted personnel in the payroll years from 2017 to date in 2022.

With regard to the payment of SIA for officers, the Deputy may be aware that with the agreement of RACO, the Specialised Instructors Allowance for Officers was bought out under the Defence Sector Collective Agreement of the Public Service Agreement 2013-2016 (the Haddington Road Agreement). 

While the May 2019 Report of the Public Service Pay Commission on Recruitment and Retention in the Permanent Defence Force made a recommendation regarding Defence Forces allowances, it did not make any recommendation on the re-establishment of any allowances which were abolished under the Haddington Road Agreement. Rather, the Commission recommended that Defence Forces allowances, which were retained under Haddington Road Agreement but reduced above and beyond any reductions made under FEMPI, have their reductions restored. Given that the Specialised Instructors Allowance for Officers was abolished, rather than reduced, it was not encompassed by any recommendation of the Commission.

In 2017 RACO submitted a claim to Conciliation and Arbitration Council of the C&A Scheme seeking reinstatement of the Specialist Instructors Allowance for officers.  As the claim was a cost increasing measure, under the terms of the pay agreement of the day - the Public Services Stability Agreement 2018-2020 - the claim was not considered.  

There was scope in the context of the current pay agreement - "Building Momentum - A New Public Service Pay Agreement 2021 -2022", to which RACO signed up, to have the matter of the restoration of the Specialist Instructors Allowance considered under the sectoral bargaining element of that fund. RACO members chose not to take that option however, instead deciding to utilise the fund for a general round of pay increases.

RACO has since reinstated its claim for reinstatement of the Allowance, and the matter is currently being processed through the Conciliation and Arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force.  As discussions in the scheme are confidential to the parties concerned, I am constrained on commenting further, at this juncture.