Written Answers Nos. 540-546
540. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the funding provided by his Department to each member of a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51434/17]
View answerMy Department has not provided funding to any member of the referenced group.
541. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the difficult financial situation members of the Defence Forces are in, in particular in circumstances in which there are young families, due to the low pay and difficulty in making ends meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51467/17]
View answerRates of remuneration and conditions of employment in the Irish public sector have traditionally been set by reference to relative levels of pay across the various sectors of the Irish public sector. Like other areas within the Public Service, the pay of the Permanent Defence Force was reduced during the financial crisis. The reductions in pay and the introduction of a Pension Related Deduction was on a graduated basis with increased rates of deductions for those on higher earnings.
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009-2015 (FEMPI) and the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement) define current pay policy.
The Government recognise the contribution made by all public servants including members of the Permanent Defence Force, during the economic crisis and have taken measures to improve public sector pay, with the focus of the increases weighted in favour of those on lower pay.
PDFORRA signed up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement in March 2017. The finalisation of negotiations under the agreement allowed for the commencement of the process for the implementation of pay increases and arrears, which have now been applied to the Permanent Defence Force. An increase of 2.5% from 1 January 2016, for annualised salaries up to €24,000 and 1% for annualised salaries between €24,001 and €31,000 was included in the weekly payroll of 5 July 2017. An increase of €1,000 from 1 April 2017, on annualised salaries up to €65,000 per annum was paid on 19 July 2017.
The pay of general service recruits and privates who joined the Permanent Defence Force post 1 January 2013, has been increased further following an agreement, facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), between the Department of Defence, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and PDFORRA. These improved payscales, have been backdated to 1 July 2016. The payments were made to relevant personnel on 30 August 2017.
Going forward, there is the potential for further increases arising from the recent negotiations on the extension to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 contains proposals for:
- a 7.25% increase over the period of the agreement for those earning less than €30,000 per annum,
- a 6.75% increase over the period of the agreement for those earning between €30,001 and €32,000 per annum, and
- a 5.75% increase over the period of the agreement for those earning over €32,000 per annum.
The proposals have been presented to the Permanent Defence Force Representative Associations who participated in the negotiation process. The representative associations are currently considering the Agreement which will subject to acceptance by ballot of the members of the Associations.
The agreement will bring undoubted benefits to members of the Permanent Defence Force. I encourage members of the Permanent Defence Force to ballot for acceptance, so that they may start to feel the benefits of the increases in pay arising from the agreement in early 2018.
542. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to parliamentary question number 527 of 14 November 2017, the person that issued the certificate of service (details supplied); the date it was issued; and the timeframe for the certificate to be issued. [51509/17]
View answerI am advised by the military authorities that the information sought cannot be provided in the time specified. I will contact the Deputy as soon as the information becomes available.
543. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he has signed decisions to grant Defence Forces disability pensions in which the applicant has applied on the basis of disability due to Lariam use; and if so, the number of such decisions to grant he has signed. [51834/17]
View answer544. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he has denied Defence Forces disability pension applications in which the applicant has applied on the basis of disability due to Lariam use; and if so, the number of such denials he has issued. [51835/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 543 and 544 together.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 71 on 11th July 2017. Under the Army Pensions Acts a disability pension or gratuity may, following retirement, be granted to a former member of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) for permanent disablement due to a wound or injury attributable to military service – whether at home or abroad – or to a disease that is secondary to an injury, or that is attributable to or aggravated by, overseas service with a United Nations Force.
The award of a disability pension or gratuity depends on the findings of the Army Pensions Board. The Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Acts consisting of a chairman and two ordinary members (both doctors). The Board’s principal function is to investigate applications for pensions, allowances and gratuities under the Acts and to report to the Minister thereon. It is open to the Board, on a case by case basis, to seek additional outside medical opinion, for example, from a relevant specialist or consultant if considered necessary to assist it to reach a finding.
The Board determines the question of attributability to military service in each case; assesses the degree of disability; and reports its findings to the Department, which then acts on the Board’s findings, including informing the applicant of the grant or refusal of appropriate benefits, as the case may be. The findings of the Army Pensions Board in regard to ‘attributability’ are final and conclusive and binding. However, there is provision for review of awards or refusals subject to certain conditions, for example if additional relevant new information subsequently becomes available and is provided to the Board for its consideration.
Over recent years, there have been a small number (18) of disability pension applications from former members of the PDF involving claims for Lariam-related illness. One application was subsequently withdrawn by the applicant. Of the 15 cases decided by the Army Pensions Board to date, the Board has not made a finding of disablement attributable to military service as a result of being prescribed Lariam Mefloquine (anti-malarial medication) while serving in the PDF. Consequently, no former PDF members are in receipt of military disability pensions arising from treatment with Lariam.
545. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number fully or partially granted; and the number refused. [51849/17]
View answerMy Department received a total of 152 FOI requests between 1st January and 30th November 2017 (inclusive). Of these, 29 requests were withdrawn by the requester, 21 were transferred to other FOI bodies as the documents requested were not held by the Department of Defence, and 9 are still being processed.
Therefore, the Department of Defence has issued decisions on 93 FOI requests between the dates specified: 35 were granted, 28 were part granted and 30 were refused.
546. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number of which the period of consideration was completed within four weeks of the receipt of the request; and the number of which the period of consideration was extended by up to four weeks in view of the fact that the necessary resources to complete the request within the original timeframe were not available, in tabular form. [51866/17]
View answerMy Department received a total of 152 FOI requests between 1st January and 30th November 2017 (inclusive). Of these, 29 requests were withdrawn by the requester, 21 were transferred to other FOI bodies as the documents requested were not held by the Department of Defence, and 9 are still being processed. Therefore, the Department of Defence has issued decisions on 93 FOI requests between the dates specified. These responses are detailed in the following table.
|
Number of FOI requests to which responses were issued by the Department to date in 2017 |
Number of requests answered within 4 week timeframe |
Number of requests extended (with agreement of the requester) by up to 4 weeks |
|
93 |
79 |
14 |
