Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2021
107. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence when the vacant position of third-party adjudicator for the Permanent Defence Forces Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47117/21]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (DPER) is responsible for managing the process for the appointment by Government of an Adjudicator for all such schemes operating across the public service including in respect of the C&A Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Forces.
As the Deputy will be aware the term of the previous Adjudicator ended on 30 June 2021. I am informed that consultation is underway by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the appointment of a new Adjudicator and that officials from that Department are actively working to progress the appointment of an Adjudicator for all of the C&A Schemes concerned.
This work includes the Civil Service and Teachers in addition to the Permanent Defence Forces, and for which a single appointment to all these C&A schemes is now required. As part of this appointment process the Defence Force Representative Associations, along with all other relevant stakeholders, will be consulted as the process to appoint a new adjudicator progresses.
It goes without saying that the appointment of a new Adjudicator is required to be progressed as soon as possible and in that regard my Officials have been in regular contact with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, including at the highest levels, in seeking to expedite this important matter.
My Department will continue to actively liaise with that Department on the matter of the appointment and my Department and I remain fully committed to seeking to ensure the ongoing effective and efficient functioning of the C&A Scheme for the Permanent Defence Forces, which has served all parties to the scheme well throughout the years.
It is also the case that the Arbitration Board for the C&A Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force remains in situ to hear disputes that might become the subject of formal disagreement and that normal engagement through Council and regular correspondence also continues to fully function in order to address matters appropriate to the Scheme.
