I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 54 together.
The Commission on the Defence Forces in its report published earlier this year, noted that the salary scales for a number of officer ranks includes two Long Service Increments (LSI). The Commission recommended the introduction of LSIs to non-commissioned ranks, including Private 3 Star, as a means of acknowledging the contribution, in ways than other than promotion, of high performing personnel who are happy to remain in the organisation at their existing level.
The Commission noted that one of the actions arising out of the Government’s High Level Plan to implement the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission, was to identify options for incentivised long service arrangements for certain Officer and NCO ranks. This formed part of the considerations of Project R3, the recommendations from which fell to be considered in the context of the sectoral bargaining element of ‘Building Momentum – the Public Service Agreement 2021-22.
The High Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which was approved by Government in July 2022, includes a recommendation for the introduction of Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel. An evaluation of the introduction of Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel, within existing pay structures, is underway.