Mark Ward
Question:52. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the actions that he is taking to improve pay and conditions for members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14200/23]
View answerThursday, 23 March 2023
Questions (52)
Written answers
There have been a number of recent key pay improvements for Defence Forces personnel, which I will outline.
With its approval of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in 2022, the Government committed to a range of measures which have (and will) positively impact pay and conditions for personnel. My Department has already implemented two of the pay-related recommendations of the Report; namely,
- All personnel of Private 3 Star/Able Seaman rank are paid the full rate of Military Service Allowance (MSA) applicable to the rank, and
- The requirement for that cohort to ‘mark time’ for the first three years at the rank has been removed.
These measures resulted in the pay rates (including MSA) for Private 3 Star and Able Seamen, in their first three years of service, starting at €37,147 in Year 1, rising to €38,544 in Year 2, and €39,832 in Year 3. These rates compare very favourably with starting rates of pay across the public service, and there is scope for further income from duty allowances.
For newly recruited Officers, starting Pay, including MSA, amounts to: - €46,406 for a graduate cadet on commissioning, and - €41,123 for a school leaver cadet on commissioning.
As with the enlisted, there is scope for further income from duty allowances. There are also opportunities for frequent career advancement to higher ranks & to qualify for additional allowances.
Further measures delivered included:
- Access to the Sea-going Service Commitment Scheme for personnel with one year’s service in the Naval Service (reduced from three years),
- Extensions of the Naval Service Sea Going Commitment Scheme and the Naval Service Tax Credit, and
- Extending service limits for Privates, Corporals and Sergeants.
My Department also delivered the Commission recommendation on temporary associate membership for the Representative Associations with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) for the purpose of participation in public sector pay negotiations in mid-2020. This allowed RACO and PDFORRA, for the first time, to take part in discussions on the extension to the Building Momentum Pay Agreement under the ICTU umbrella.
The Commission Report makes a range of further recommendations impacting on remuneration, and the Government’s High-Level Action Plan (HLAP) on the Report, commits to further evaluation of:
1. Replacing existing sea-going allowances with less complex sea-going duty measures,
2. Introducing Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel, and
3. On the basis that all personnel should, in the first instance, be paid the full rate of MSA applicable to their rank, MSA should be abolished and the full applicable rate integrated into core pay.
Discussions on the first are underway between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, and work in ongoing within my Department on the latter two.
In addition, the Plan states a commitment to commence examination of options in relation to a mechanism for review of existing specialist pay rates and allowances.
Aside from these improvements, and specifically in terms of pay, the Defence Forces are paid increases in pay and allowances in line with Public Service pay agreements.
The most recent agreement, the extension to ‘Building Momentum’, provided for increases in pay and allowances of 6.5% to members of the Defence Forces in 2022 and 2023. This includes:
- 3%, backdated to 2nd Feb 2022
- 2 % on 1st March 2023
- 1.5% or €750, whichever is the greater, on 1st October 2023.
Pensionable allowances in the nature of pay also benefit from this.
The 3% increase, back-dated to February 2022, was paid to all serving members of the Defence Forces by 30th November 2022 last. The remaining Building Momentum 1% increase, due on October 2022, was also paid by this date.
I am also pleased to inform the Deputy that the latest increase of 2%, due on 1st March last, has also been paid to Enlisted personnel, while Officers will see their increases on 31st March.
In addition, the implementation of the Sectoral Bargaining Fund element of the original Building Momentum Agreement has resulted in additional payments totalling €373,000 extra per annum - payments which primarily benefit over 471 of the Defence Force’s lower paid members. The implementation of the Technical Pay Groups 2-6 review has also resulted in almost €1 million in additional technical pay to those covered by the Review, to date.
In addition to general round pay increases arising out of ongoing national pay agreements, members of the Permanent Defence Forces have also benefitted from the implementation of increases in Defence Forces duty allowances, as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission in 2019. It is important to note also that for those Defence Force personnel who have specialist appointments, based on training or qualifications, there is a range of additional allowances available to them. For example, members of the Army Ranger Wing receive an allowance of €225 per week, on top of their salary.
Finally, it has to be noted that the Defence Forces offers opportunities for education and personal development, to include fully funded opportunities to gain professional and academic qualifications, while receiving full pay and allowances, as well as providing training for career advancements and promotion opportunities.
Questions Nos. 53 to 57, inclusive, answered orally.