Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 January 2018
4. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of engine room artificer vacancies that exist in the Naval Service; his plans to fill same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3489/18]
View answerI wish to ask the Minister of State about the number of engine room artificer vacancies that exist in the Naval Service and his plans to fill them.
The Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, as set out in the White Paper on Defence.
To achieve this, there is significant ongoing recruitment. In 2017, a total of 751 new personnel were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force. These comprised general service recruits and cadets and specialists for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. As of 31 December 2017, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 9,173 whole-time equivalent, WTE, personnel.
There are 85 appointments in the establishment for engine room artificers, ERAs. These range across ranks from warrant officer, senior chief petty officer, chief petty officer, petty officer and leading seaman. The military authorities have advised me that there are currently 13 vacancies, all of which are at the petty officer rank.
The Defence Forces recruit ERAs internally through the trainee technician scheme and, at times, externally through the direct entry scheme. There are 29 ERAs in training, seven of whom are expected to qualify as petty officers during 2018. The filling of further vacancies will continue to be progressed.
Other specialist posts, such as those relating to pilots, air traffic controllers and certain technicians, are presenting challenges in the context of recruitment and retention. I have previously acknowledged this fact, which is reflective of the current economic circumstances and attractive job opportunities in the private and commercial semi-State sectors. The extensive professional training that such specialists receive within the Defence Forces makes them very attractive to these sectors. This is not a unique challenge for the Defence Forces and it is also faced by military forces elsewhere.
The Public Service Pay Commission is further examining the issue of the recruitment and retention of specialist personnel within the Defence Forces, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020.
I am addressing the issue of specialist vacancies throughout the Permanent Defence Force with a range of recruitment methods including direct entry competitions for specialist positions. The scope to further expand direct entry is being considered. I have also directed civil and military management to develop proposals to facilitate former Permanent Defence Force personnel with appropriate skill sets to re-enter the Defence Forces.
Following acceptance by the Permanent Defence Force representative associations, the pay increases available under the Lansdowne Road agreement were applied to the Defence Forces. I amdelighted that both PDFORRA and RACO have also signed up to the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, which is an extension of the Lansdowne Road agreement. The new agreement provides for further pay increases of between 6.2% and 7.4% over its lifetime.
I remain committed to maximising recruitment of capable personnel, developing serving personnel and achieving the best personnel and skills combination to ensure the Defence Forces retain the capacity to operate effectively across all roles.
The Naval Service has eight ships. How many of them can put out to sea at any one time? My information is that because of unresolved staffing shortages, the maximum number that can put out to sea at any one time is six. The shortages in question relate to artificers and others. In other words, 25% of the Naval Service is docked at any one time due to staff shortages that the Department and the Minister of State, with whom the buck stops, have failed to resolve.
The Naval Service announced a competition for engine room artificer positions in 2012. Unable to attract suitable applicants, it ran another competition in 2013. In 2015, the direct entry process for engine room artificer vacancies was announced. Does the Minister of State not accept that the pay for this grade, and other equivalent technical positions in the Naval Service and other branches of the Defence Forces, needs to be increased? That is the key issue. It needs to be increased to a level that at least matches comparators in other areas of the public, semi-State and private sectors.
In the first instance, Deputy Barry's information is absolutely incorrect. We have eight ships and they are operating at present. I met the new flat officer commanding of the Naval Service, Commodore Mick Malone, recently. I congratulate him on his appointment and wish him the very best of luck. Yes, there are vacancies. I acknowledge that we have vacancies, and we are working towards filling those. There are quite a number of people in training for these positions. There is no restriction to training whatsoever. We are training people to our full capacity, but I would be the first to state that there are vacancies. However, let me state that all eight ships are fully operational at this moment.
We have a difference of opinion on this issue and I think we should get to the root of it. I have said that my information, over which I stand, is that only six of the Naval Service's eight ships can put out to sea at any one time. I asked the Minister of State if that was the position. He huffed and puffed and said that my information was wrong, but then proceeded to indicate that the ships are all capable of operating at present. That is not quite the same thing. I will ask the Minister of State again. Are we in a position to put all eight ships out to sea at the same time or are we incapable of putting 25% of our ships out as a result of staff vacancies, which he and I know have arisen as a result of the issue of low pay? Moreover, is he going to address this matter?
I stand over my information in the same way that the Deputy has stated he will stand over his. There is a difference of opinion. I have no problem with that whatsoever. I have differences of opinion with many people. That is the way life works.
This is an important matter.
I met the flag officer commanding recently. Eight ships are fully operational and I am quite satisfied with that. I also stated that we have a number of vacancies and we are filling them.
