asked the Minister for Defence the reason the members of the Army School of Music have fared so poorly from the recent pay and conditions awards; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that their new group status is lower, relative to other groupings, than before 31 December 1988; if his attention has further been drawn to the importance of the Army bands at State, military and civilian engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army School of Music.
22.
(Limerick West): I do not accept the implication in the question. Members of the Army School of Music qualify on the same basis as other military personnel for the increases in line pay, military service allowance and other allowances which were announced by the Government in December 1988.
As regards the technician pay aspect, the inter-departmental committee on Defence Forces pay, allowances and conditions recommended in their report to Government a complete restructuring of the groups of trades and skills together with increases in the rates of technician pay. The creation of six new technician groups involved extensive rearrangement of the three former groups of trades and skills and the inclusion of new designations.
The increases in technician pay relevant to members of the Army School of Music are: £1.84 to £3.06 per week; £6.96 to £10.20 per week and £13.11 to £30.60 per week depending on the type of work undertaken.
These are in accordance with the rates recommended by the committee and which were accepted in full by the Government.
Would the Minister or the Government consider paying the entire special claim to the members of the Defence Forces on 1 July and not the 40 per cent which amounts to £6.2 million? It is only fair and reasonable that the Government should pay it now and defuse the whole situation.
(Limerick West): I have previously answered that question adequately and it does not refer to this question.
In other words, it will not be done. Do I take it the Minister is saying that members of the Army bands are better off now than before the special claim payments were made on special allowances? Many of them say quite openly that they are much worse off now than before the Government brought in this package. Does the Minister believe that the Army bands are important to this country?
(Limerick West): Of course the Army bands are important to this country. The answer to the Deputy's questions is that all groups are far better off as a result of the acceptance by the Government of the recommendations of the pay review committee.
(Interruptions.)