Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

109. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress made in removing the blanket exclusion of members of the Defence Forces from the protections of the Working Time Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36912/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to advise that progress continues to be made following my approval earlier this year of the final management position on the implementation of the Working Time Directive across the Defence Forces.

Formal engagement between my officials and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment who are responsible for developing the appropriate legislative mechanism to remove the blanket exemption in the Organisation of Working Time Act, is well advanced.

Work is also underway to formulise the health and safety protections agreed for those activities deemed to be outside the scope of the Directive, due to their nature. In addition, work is in train on the procurement of a long-term electronic Time and Attendance solution which will be a critical enabler in taking forward the implementation of the Directive.

The implementation of the Working Time Directive across the Defence Forces is correctly seen as an important retention measure and will ensure that health and safety protections as prescribed in the Directive, are afforded to serving personnel.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

110. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of personnel Ireland is required to provide to an EU Battlegroup in 2025; the number of personnel who volunteered to take part in such; the number who have been mandated to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36913/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland will now provide approximately 191 personnel to the EU Battlegroup 2025, an increase of 5 of numbers previously advised by me. The additional personnel will include cooks and engineers to carry out recently identified further support roles.

The contribution will comprise a Group HQ, a Mechanised Infantry Company (with a Company HQ, Infantry platoons and a weapons platoon) together with a National Support Element (providing the necessary transport, medical, Communication & Information Systems, maintenance and ordnance support) along with staff posts in the Force Headquarters, and personnel in a National Logistics Support Group to be based in Germany to aid the transport and storage of DF equipment.

Military management has advised that the Defence Forces contribution to EUBG 2025 is staffed to 94% currently, of which seven personnel have been mandatorily selected. The expectation is that the remaining posts will be fully filled in the coming months.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

111. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the establishment figure of the Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces; the number currently enlisted/commissioned; the number who have been discharged in the past 12 months; the number who have been recruited, by service branch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36914/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The military authorities have provided the requested information as set out in the following two tables:

Table A contains the establishment strength for the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and Reserve Defence Force (RDF); the current PDF strength and the current RDF effective strength as of 31 August 2024 – in total and also broken down by Officer and Enlisted strength. Also included are the number of PDF and RDF discharges that took place between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024.

Table A

Table B provides the number of PDF and RDF inductions that took place between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024, in total and also broken down by branch.

The staffing challenges in the Permanent Defence Force have been acknowledged previously. Current recruitment initiatives underway to counter these staffing challenges include ongoing recruitment of General Service Recruits and Direct Entry specialists in addition to the recruitment of Cadets, the expansion of the scope of such recruitment, the progression of the recommendations from a recent external validation of the Defence Forces recruitment process, engagement of a marine specialist recruitment body and the establishment of a Joint Induction Training Centre in Gormanstown.

Additionally, a range of financial and non-financial retention initiatives are being implemented. These include the doubling of the Naval Service Patrol Duty allowance, the further extension of the Naval Service tax credit, and the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the PDF, in addition to significant progress on pay.

In an effort to remove all potential obstacles to recruiting and retaining personnel, the Government agreed increases in the upper recruitment and mandatory retirement age in the PDF with comparable increases in the RDF.

In respect of the Reserve Defence Force, the immediate focus of the Office of Reserve Affairs has been the development of a Regeneration Plan in addition to increasing recruitment into the RDF by streamlining the recruitment process. The RDF Regeneration and Development Plan, launched on 24 July 2024, contains a number of actions concerning the recruitment, resourcing and bolstering of the RDF.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

112. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the full implementation of the Working Time Directive for members of the Defence Forces requires additional expenditure by his Department; if so, the estimated full-year cost of the implementation of the directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36962/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to advise that following my approval earlier this year of the final management position on the implementation of the Working Time Directive across the Defences, my officials have been actively engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment who are responsible for developing the appropriate legislative mechanism to remove the blanket exemption in the Organisation of Working Time Act.

It is anticipated that for the most part the cost associated with the implementation of the WTD for members of the Defence Forces will be absorbed as part of day to day budget management. Any potential costings however, remain under active consideration at this time.

One of the key costs associated with its implementation is the procurement of a robust and functional Time and Attendance System to suit the requirements of a workforce such as the Defence Forces. A procurement process for such a system has commenced with expressions of interest sought. These responses are currently being considered. Given the current status of the procurement process it is not prudent for me to specify costs at this point.

While there will potentially be other associated costs arising such as the development by the Defence Forces of a non-financial labour budget hours management tool, these are not anticipated to be ongoing costs.

It is, however, worth mentioning that the Military Authorities have advised that a high percentage of the normal everyday work of the Defence Forces is already in compliance with the Working Time Directive.