Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2021
27. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence when a decision will be made regarding the status of Defence Forces members enlisted since 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34709/21]
View answer32. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence if he will allow for personnel on post-1994 contracts to remain part of the Defence Forces if they are fit, healthy and capable as opposed to being automatically discharged if not sergeants by December 2022. [34598/21]
View answer33. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Minister for Defence the number of enlisted Defence Forces personnel who will be forced to retire early unless changes are made to the post-1994 service contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34704/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 32 and 33 together.
Military life places unique demands on individuals and it is necessary that Defence Forces personnel are prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations. To this end, it is vital the age and health profile of personnel be such as to ensure that operational capability and effectiveness are not compromised in any way. For this reason compulsory retirement ages for ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are considerably lower than in other employments.
The age and fitness profile of the Permanent Defence Force was an issue of serious concern during the 1990's and was the subject of severe criticism in a series of external reports such as those compiled by Price Waterhouse Consultants and the Efficiency Audit Group. One of the key areas identified for urgent action was the development of a manpower policy with an emphasis on lowering the age profile of Permanent Defence Force personnel.
The White Paper on Defence (2015) states that retirement ages and/or upper service limits of Defence Forces’ personnel of all ranks will continue to be kept under review and determined in accordance with key considerations such as manpower policy requirements, operational needs and international best practice.
The High Level Plan - "Strengthening Our Defence Forces" provides for actions or projects to be undertaken to deliver on the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) recommendations. A project to consider options to tackle barriers to extended participation in the PDF (including the possibility of extending retirement ages for members of the PDF) is underway. Civil and Military staff in the Department are considering these matters in the context of an ongoing review.
The Review will take into consideration the recommendations from an Adjudication in 2015, arising from a claim PDFORRA made through the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. It was agreed at that time that Privates and Corporals in receipt of Technical Pay Group 3 or higher may stay in service to age 50 subject to meeting certain specified criteria.
The Adjudicator recommended a further review of contracts of service for Line Corporals and Privates and Corporals in receipt of Technical Pay 1 and 2, recruited to the Defence Forces post 1st January 1994. The Adjudicator recommended that such personnel be allowed to continue to serve beyond 21 years for a period up to the expiry of the next two promotion panels, subject to them meeting the required criteria and not exceeding the age of 50 years during this period.
In 2019, a further agreement was reached with PDFORRA that all Privates and Corporals recruited post 1994, be allowed to continue in service to 31 December 2022, (or until they reach the age of 50), provided these personnel meet certain criteria, including medical grades and fitness tests, during the interim period. This agreement was subsequently extended to include Sergeants recruited to the Permanent Defence Force, post 1st January 1994, who can also continue in service to the same date, subject to their meeting agreed criteria in the interim period.
This agreement with PDFORRA provides for such personnel to continue in service beyond the timeframe suggested in the adjudication to allow for this review to be completed. The rank of line Privates, which had not been specifically recommended for review in the adjudication, is also encompassed with this measure. These measures are in place to allow the review to take place in the extended timeframe.
I am advised by military management that as at 31 May 2021, the number of Privates and Corporals in receipt of Technical Pay Group 2 or less, who enlisted post 1994 and who have served or will serve 21 years or more by end December 2022 is 195.
The Review will encompass consideration of the mandatory retirement age limits for Privates, Corporals and Sergeants, as well as senior NCOs. Proposals and recommendations arising from these deliberations will be discussed with PDFORRA on completion of the Review.
