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Defence Forces Remuneration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2020

Tuesday, 6 October 2020

Questions (424)

Gerald Nash

Question:

424. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence the definition of a medium-term project (details supplied); the status of the medium-term project; the deadline for completion of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28640/20]

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Written answers

The Report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) on Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces was published on the 4th of July 2019. The Report was accepted in full by the Government at that time and, to facilitate implementation, an extensive High Level Plan titled ""Strengthening our Defence Forces – Phase One” was also agreed and published on the same date.

The High Level Plan provides for actions or projects to be undertaken to deliver on the PSPC recommendations. It also proposes a timeframe for actions or projects to commence and identifies the lead actor to implement the action or project. The timeframe for commencement of actions is split into four distinct timelines i.e. immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term. The Plan defines the timeframes as follows:

- Immediate (i.e. action to commence and be completed within 1 month of approval of this Plan);

- Short-term (i.e. action to commence (and in some cases be completed) within 3 months of approval of this Plan);

- Medium-term (i.e. action to commence (and in some cases to completed within 3 –6 months of approval of this Plan); and

- Long-term (i.e. action to commence within 6 –12 months of approval of this Plan).

The review of pay structures was set out as a medium term project being led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in anticipation that such a review would take place in the context of discussions on a new Public Sector Pay Agreement and that these would commence in that time-frame. However, these discussions did not take place within that anticipated timeframe.

The Programme for Government, which was published in June 2020,, contains a commitment to establish an independent Commission on the Defence Forces which will consider, amongst other matters, pay and allowances and composition of the Defence Forces. The Programme for Government also states that upon completion of the Commissions work, a permanent pay review body for the Defence Forces will be established.

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