Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 September 2019
27. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the implementation of the Barry report in respect of the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38423/19]
View answerThe Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force provides an established mechanism for the PDF representative associations, that is RACO (the representative association for commissioned officers) and PDFORRA (the representative association for enlisted personnel)to engage with the Official side. Having regard to commitments made under public service pay agreements, members of the PDF can make representations in relation to their pay and conditions through their representative associations.
The C&A scheme, since its inception in the early 1990’s has provided the framework to progress many successful negotiated agreements between Defence management and the PDF Representative Associations. In light of the many changes in the industrial relations landscape in the intervening period, I initiated a independent review of the scheme, and that report was published on 2 October 2018.
The report of the review contains a number of recommendations aimed at improving the efficiency of the scheme.
The parties to the scheme, including the Permanent Defence Force representative associations are developing, in a collaborative process, the terms for a revised C&A Scheme incorporating the recommendations in the Review. This work is ongoing.
