Vol. 402 No. 5
50 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Defence if he issued a directive to all camp commanding officers to relax rules regarding meetings in camp and the necessity to attend in uniform during the interim period pending the finalisation of regulations governing the newly established representative associations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I refer to the statement made by the Minister of State at the Department of Defence on 31 October 1990 when the Deputy raised a question on this matter — columns 876, 877 and 882 of the Official Report, Volume 402 for that date refer.
Instructions have been issued to enable elected representatives of non-commissioned officers and privates at barracks level to be released from duty from 3.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. on a suitable day once a fortnight to conduct meetings on representative business. As such meetings take place during normal duty hours the wearing of uniform is appropriate. Where meetings of representatives are held in barracks outside normal duty hours the representatives may meet in civilian attire if they so wish.
Twelve representatives of non-commissioned officers and privates and eight representatives of officers have been released full-time since last July to deal with the establishment of the representative associations.
