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Departmental Strategies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021

Thursday, 8 July 2021

Questions (219, 220, 223)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

219. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff working in the programme management office of the high level implementation plan. [36920/21]

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Sorca Clarke

Question:

220. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the status of the implementation of the high level plan; the number of targets set and achieved and those set and unachieved; and the number of engagements with representative bodies before the most recent set of pay talks that related to the implementation of the high-level plan. [36921/21]

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Sorca Clarke

Question:

223. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the status of the implementation of the high-level plan. [36924/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 219, 220 and 223 together.

To implement the recommendations of the High Level Implementation Plan (HLIP) arising from the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) on Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces, a joint civil/military Programme Management Office was established. The Office was staffed by 4 persons (2 civil/2 military) on a full-time basis. As significant progress has been made and the majority of projects have been finalised, the staffing of the Office has been scaled down with the 4 persons engaged on a part-time basis alongside their other duties.

There are fifteen projects in total in the HLIP. For some, the original target dates and timelines for completion were extended due to external factors, including Covid and the status of the projects is as outlined below.

The immediate pay measures set out in the plan i.e. an increase in Military Service Allowance, the reversal of 10% cuts to allowances under the Haddington Road Agreement, and the restoration of weekend premium rates for overtime were implemented immediately upon their acceptance by the PDF Representative Associations in late 2019. A service commitment scheme for pilots was also re-introduced, with very positive uptake.

For the project Review of Technical Pay Groups 2 – 6, sanction has recently been received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to proceed with the recommendations in the report. This will now be progressed through the Department’s Conciliation and Arbitration Process.

The Review of Pay Structures project, led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, was intended to examine pay structures in the Defence Forces and to fall under the new public service pay agreement “Building on Momentum”. However, in the intervening period, the Commission on the Defence Forces was tasked with examining pay structures and also with some aspects of pay under the sectoral bargaining arrangements of this agreement. The recommendations of a further project dealing with incentivised long service arrangements for certain Officer and NCO ranks, will be considered in the context of the sectoral bargaining element of “Building on Momentum”.

The project relating to Bespoke Management training for leaders and managers was completed in July 2020. The project on Non-Pay Retention Measures in the PDF was completed in October 2020. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy was launched on 2nd December 2020. A further project to develop a Professional Military Education strategy was completed in March 2021 and the Strategy will be launched shortly. The project relating to additional specialist posts for high turnover/long lead in appointments was finalised in April 2021. The report relating to the review of recruitment in the PDF has been completed and will be submitted for my approval imminently.

The project examining Barriers to Extended Participation in the PDF was split into two phases. Phase 1 focussed on reviewing mandatory retirement ages for Officers and is nearing completion pending clarification from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on a matter relating to pension rules. Phase 2 is examining the contracts of service for enlisted personnel and is at an advanced stage.

The final project, looking at the embedding of strategic workforce planning in the Defence Forces has commenced and its work is ongoing. As this is a long term project it will be progressed through the joint civil/military Strategic Human Resources Group.

There have been regular briefings to the Representative Associations on the progress of the implementation of the HLIP projects and my Department continues to engage on all matters that fall within the scope of representation. A total of 12 meetings/briefings have taken place to date, 10 of which took place prior to the commencement of discussions on the new public service pay agreement "Building on Momentum".

Question No. 220 answered with Question No. 219.
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