I propose to answer Questions Nos. 13 and 92 together.
On 2 March 2001, arising from the foot and mouth emergency, the Defence Forces were asked to supply a number of troops to aid the civil authority. These troops, operating on an unarmed basis, supported the activities of Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development officials with assistance from the Garda Síochána.
In the days following that request, my Department was contacted by two of the three Defence Forces representative organisations. On 5 March a claim for "an allowance equivalent to maintenance of essential service allowance" was submitted by PDFORRA, the representative association for Defence Forces enlisted personnel. This claim was processed through the conciliation and arbitration system in the normal way and a meeting of the conciliation council to consider this claim took place on 14 March 2001. On 28 March 2001 following some negotiations, an offer of an allowance of £35 per extended duty was made to PDFORRA. The association will formally accept this offer at the next meeting of the conciliation council which is scheduled to take place on 5 July next.
On 13 March 2001, the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA, wrote to my Department seeking an assurance that any reservists mobilised to assist in the foot and mouth prevention measures would receive the same rates of pay and allowances as members of the Permanent Defence Force. The militarty authorities advised that members of the reserve would not be called upon unless the foot and mouth situation disimproved significantly. It was agreed that the questions regarding pay and allowances could be looked at if and when the use of reserve personnel arose. On 2 May last my Department wrote to RDFRA to advise it formally of the situation. There was no request or necessity to arrange a meeting with RDFRA on this issue.
No claim for payment of any allowance in respect of this operation has been received from RACO, the commissioned officers' representative assocation, although a number of meetings have taken place with representatives of that association in the intervening period. I understand that a small number of commissioned officers might have been directly involved in the operation and I would be quite willing to offer an allowance to them on a similar basis to that negotiated with PDFORRA.
In conclusion, I acknowledge the vital contribution the Defence Forces made to the national effort to curb the spread of foot and mouth disease in Ireland. I am sure I speak for everybody in this House when I say that once again our Defence Forces have earned our respect and thanks for their efficient and committeed efforts on behalf of all of us.
