John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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228. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the steps he is taking to ensure that Army Reserves continue to receive fair remuneration; whether he will reconsider the reported decision to end pay for reserves, given that current rates already fall below the national minimum wage once taxes are accounted for, and that removal of pay would result in reservists incurring out-of-pocket expenses to attend training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51474/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A key priority for the Tánaiste is the modernisation of our Defence Forces, and revitalising our Reserve Defence Forces is a vital part of that transformation process. The Regeneration and Development Plan contains concrete actions to drive forward recruitment and retention, resourcing, training and education and integration and deployment.

The conditions under which reservists are paid for certain activities are set out in Defence Force Regulations (DFRs). There is no question of reservists losing payment for their activities or cut backs to activities that attract a sanctioned payment.

In 2023, the Defence Forces issued a letter of instruction (LOI) relating to such payments. The LOI was regrettably not consistent with the regulations.

Reservists are an integral part of the Defence Forces and should be remunerated appropriately. In that regard I have directed that the Defence Forces submit a robust business case to clearly set out exactly which reserve activities should attract payment. Any proposed changes to paid activities may require sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and a regulatory amendment. While this work is ongoing, the Defence Forces are working on possible solutions for Members of the RDF.

All eligible RDF activities in 2024 were paid for, reflected in the fact that the original 2024 budget allocation for the RDF was increased by 36 per cent during the year;

This additional spending reflected the higher than anticipated levels of activity and a welcome increased interest in the RDF during the year.