Thomas Gould
Question:18. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Defence if the current pay scales in the Defence Forces are having an impact on the attractiveness for potential applicants. [23670/22]
View answerThursday, 12 May 2022
Questions (18)
Written answers
The Deputy will be aware that a range of actions have been taken to address recruitment issues in the Defence Forces. These include a number of projects undertaken to bolster the attractiveness of a career in the Defence Forces.
The recent Report of the Commission on Defence Forces makes a range of recommendations in this area, which will all be considered. The Report proposes significant changes, including the level of Defence provision in Ireland and recommendations in relation to capacity components required to achieve that provision. This includes, inter alia, consideration of morale, recruitment and retention matters. Following relevant consultation, I will revert to Government with a proposed response to the Commission's recommendations and a high-level action plan which will set out proposed timelines and oversight arrangements for its implementation.
In the interim, my focus remains on retaining/restoring all branches of the Defence Forces at their full capacity and significant work has been undertaken to date, and such work continues, but it will take time to see the full effect of the measures introduced.
Specifically in terms of pay scales, the Deputy is aware that the Defence Forces are paid increases in pay and allowances, in line with Public Service pay agreements.
The current public service pay agreement, ‘Building Momentum – A New Public Service Agreement 2021 – 2022’ provides for increases in pay and allowances to all public servants, including members of the Defence Forces.
In addition to general round pay increases, arising out of ongoing national pay agreements, members of the Permanent Defence Force have also benefitted from the implementation of increases in Defence Force’s allowances, as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission in 2019.
Based on the 2021 Q4 Preliminary Estimates of the CSO’s Average weekly earnings by the public sector sub-sector, it is also worth noting that weekly earnings in the Defence sector compare very well to counterparts elsewhere in the public sector. Defence personnel's weekly earnings, over the period Q4 2016 - Q4 2021, have risen by 25%. This places them squarely in mid-table – earning more on a weekly basis than their counterparts in the Health, Regional Bodies and Civil Service sub-sectors.
I, as Minister for Defence, remain committed to returning to, and maintaining, the agreed establishment figure for the Defence Force.