Defence Forces Representative Organisations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 June 2016

Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Questions (236)

Lisa Chambers

Question:

236. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Defence Forces management has engaged with the representative associations on the findings of the organisation climate survey; and if not, his views on whether such engagement is essential in light of the clear recommendation in the third report of the independent monitoring group that the representative associations were to be engaged in the design and the findings of such surveys. [18754/16]

Written answers

Taoiseach and Minister for Defence

The Independent Monitoring Group (IMG) was established in May 2002 to oversee the implementation of recommendations arising from a report on the interpersonal relationships within the Defence Forces. The first IMG report was published in 2004. The Third IMG report was published in September 2014. RACO and PDFORRA are represented on the IMG.

This survey was commissioned on foot of a recommendation from the Third IMG report (a similar survey was conducted in 2008). The purposes of the climate survey is to support the identification of the ongoing human resource and strategic needs of the Defence Forces. As with the 2008 survey, approximately 11% of the workforce was sampled.

This report was recently received in the Department and I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that given its importance and wide ranging subject matter, I would like to have the opportunity to discuss and consider the findings of the report in the first instance. I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department will engage with the Defence Forces’ Representative Associations in relation to the Defence Forces Climate Survey 2015 in the near future.

I have corresponded with the Defence Forces Representative Bodies offering to meet them to discuss concerns that they may wish to raise with me.