Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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52. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide an updated report on the progress that is being made on the further evaluation that is being carried out on the issue of long service increments in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57666/22]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will report on Project R3 - Incentivised long service arrangements - NCO and Officer rank in the High Level Implementation plan Strengthening our Defence Forces. [58284/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 54 together.

The Commission on the Defence Forces in its report published earlier this year, noted that the salary scales for a number of officer ranks includes two Long Service Increments (LSI). The Commission recommended the introduction of LSIs to non-commissioned ranks, including Private 3 Star, as a means of acknowledging the contribution, in ways than other than promotion, of high performing personnel who are happy to remain in the organisation at their existing level.

The Commission noted that one of the actions arising out of the Government’s High Level Plan to implement the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission, was to identify options for incentivised long service arrangements for certain Officer and NCO ranks. This formed part of the considerations of Project R3, the recommendations from which fell to be considered in the context of the sectoral bargaining element of ‘Building Momentum – the Public Service Agreement 2021-22.

The High Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which was approved by Government in July 2022, includes a recommendation for the introduction of Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel. An evaluation of the introduction of Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel, within existing pay structures, is underway.