Vol. 569 No. 3
171 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Defence if his attention been drawn to the long delays in paying security duty allowance to members of the FCA and Slua Muirí who have been engaged in carrying out security duties in various barracks; and when he expects that pay ments due since January 2003 will be made. [17738/03]
In 1999, following an approach from the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, approval was given for the payment of security duty allowance, SDA, to members of the Reserve who performed these duties in Border areas only. In 2002, again following an approach from the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association on the issue of payment of security duty allowance, I gave a commitment that in situations where Reserve personnel perform duties, in addition to their training, which are normally performed by Permanent Defence Force personnel, the reservists would, in future, be paid the appropriate allowances as paid to their Permanent Defence Force counterparts. These situations arise mainly in the performance of security duties which attract the payment of security duty allowance. This will only apply in situations where reserve personnel are posted to duties, normally performed by Permanent Defence Force personnel, which attract security duty allowance and have the required level of qualifications or training to hold such posts. Payment will be retrospective to March 2002.
At the recent annual delegate conference of the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, I reiterated my commitment that payment should be made in respect of the duties as outlined. My Department and the military authorities are working on the implementation issues arising from that commitment. Every effort is being made to expedite these payments.
