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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Mar 1999

Vol. 501 No. 5

Written Answers. - Overseas Missions.

Noel Ahern

Question:

53 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Defence the supplement paid by his Department or direct by the UN to members of the Defence Forces while serving abroad; the negotiations, if any, in progress for an increase; when these will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6571/99]

Members of the Permanent Defence Force serve with a number of different missions abroad and different arrangements exist between missions in relation to the allowances payable.

In general, personnel serving with peace-keeping, peace-enforcing or military observer missions overseas receive a daily "overseas" allowance in addition to pay, payable by the Department, in respect of service with such missions. Where personnel serving with peace-keeping, peace-enforcing or observer missions overseas are required to pay for accommodation and meals and bear other associated costs for the duration of the tour of duty, a mission subsistence allowance – per diem allowance – is also payable. In certain other missions where personnel incur all costs associated with service abroad, a cost of living/foreign service allowance, accommodation/ rent allowance, detention allowance, disturbance allowance and children's allowance may be payable.

The current (1.7.1998) rates of the overseas allowance paid by the Department are:–

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL):

Commandant and higher – £37.45; Captain and lower – £34.04.

Sergeant and higher – £29.18; Corporal – £28.20; Private – £27.25.

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP):

Commandant and higher – £24.41; Captain and lower – £22.20.

Sergeant and higher – £19.03; Corporal – £18.39; Private – £17.76.

Observer Missions:

£12.62; £15.78; £20.43; £44.02 per day, depending on the mission.

Under the Defence (Amendment) Act, 1990, matters relating to pay and allowances, including allowances payable to members serving overseas, come within the scope of representation of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, and the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA. It is open to the associations at any time to present a claim for a review of allowances which may be processed through the conciliation and arbitration scheme for the Permanent Defence Force which was established in agreement with the associations. I would like to add, however, that the rates of daily overseas allowance payable to personnel serving with peace-keeping, peace-enforcing or military observer missions overseas attract increases in line with general round increases in pay and allowances. In this regard the overseas allowance has attracted increases under the terms of the PCW and Partnership 2000.
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