asked the Minister for Defence the plans he has to pay increases in pay and allowances to members of the Defence Forces under the 25th round; and when any such increases will be paid.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Defence Forces Pay.
2.
Increases in the pay of the Defence Forces are linked traditionally to increases in the pay of certain Civil Service grades. The benefit of any general pay increase under the 25th round which may be granted to civil servants will be passed on to the Defence Forces.
Now that we have a free-for-all in pay negotiations, with talks having virtually broken down on a global scale within the public sector, will the Minister advise me what process he proposes to use to settle the question of pay within the Defence Forces? Might I add that, unlike Deputy Skelly, I believe that the Army is not only necessary but that its members are not paid sufficient?
As I am sure the Deputy is aware from his experience in the Army, they take their place at the end of the queue. They are dependent on other people to fight their corner. Having come to an arrangement in relation to a pay increase in any particular round, they get the benefit of that round. But they are dependent on other people to negotiate and they then get their pro rata increase.
The procedure following the determination of the national wage agreement was that what was negotiated by the public services committee of the ICTU would automatically apply to the Garda and the Army. That situation is now altered. Can the Minister explain what will be used in substitution for that, or is it just that the Army will have to wait until pay awards are finalised for everybody else in the country?
I am not au fait with the intricacies of all this, but my logic tells me that they will have to await the outcome of negotiations which it is hoped will be resumed and agreed on and then they will get their increases, if such be the case.
In view of the changing circumstances the Minister might give consideration to some form of representative body in relation to pay, particularly pay within the armed forces.
We are breaking new ground here and, while I am not opposed to it in any way, I am not too sure what machinery is there to meet that kind of situation. I will make inquiries to see what can be done in these circumstances.