Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
72. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the extent to which ongoing changes identified in the review of the Defence Forces, including pay, gender respect and bullying and-or other sensitive issues, are likely to be addressed in total; the progress to date in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29513/23]
View answer107. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the actions his Department has taken since the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces was published in February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29522/23]
View answer109. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for a report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28292/23]
View answerThis is a similar question to the previous one. I am seeking to ascertain the extent of the progress in dealing with the issues raised in the review of the Defence Forces then, beforehand and afterwards and whether a timeline can be set for the conclusion of those issues.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 107 and 109 together.
The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the programme for Government and its report was published on 9 February 2022. There were 69 main recommendations and, including sub-recommendations, 130 recommendations in total. The commission undertook a significant body of work encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant changes to the Defence Forces and defence provision in Ireland. It covered high-level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, and funding.
Given the significant recommendations contained in the report, detailed consideration of these recommendations was undertaken over a period of five months by the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces. Following this engagement, a high-level action plan and a memo for Government were brought to the Government and approved on 12 July 2022. The high-level action plan set out the response of the Government to each of the 130 individual recommendations: accept, accept in principle, further evaluation or revert. A total of 103 of its recommendations were accepted by the Government for implementation, or accepted in principle, with 17 requiring further evaluation and a further ten to revert to Government.
This involved the approval of a move to level of ambition, LOA, 2, as set out in the capability framework devised by the commission. This will result in the defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028, which is the largest increase in defence funding in the history of the State. This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the commission. The budget for 2023 included an increase of €67 million over the 2022 budget for defence. This demonstrates the Government’s strong commitment to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern, agile military force, capable of responding to increasingly complex security threats.
The high-level action plan set out a total of 38 early actions to be completed within six months of the Government decision. A comprehensive written update on all 38 early actions was published on 23 March this year, and includes the status of each of the 38 early actions in tabular form. At that time, more than 80% of the early actions had been achieved. Progress continues on the remaining early actions. Approximately 90% have been achieved to date, with the remainder at an advanced stage and due to be completed shortly.
The Government noted that, in light of the commission’s report, there is an urgent need for HR and cultural transformation in the Defence Forces and this will be prioritised. The high-level action plan identified the recruitment, through an open process, to the new senior-level civilian positions of head of transformation and head of strategic HR for the Defence Forces, as early actions required to progress this transformation. I welcome the recent appointment of Mr. Brian Molloy to the position of Defence Forces’ head of transformation. The competition to select the head of strategic HR has also been recently concluded and the process to appoint the successful candidate is nearing completion.
A key early action, and a key output from the opening phase of the transformation programme, the development of a detailed implementation plan, is at an advanced stage and is expected to be published in the coming weeks. When published, it will set out the approach to implementation for each of the 130 recommendations. Effective reporting mechanisms were put in place for the 38 early actions and, once the detailed implementation plan has been published, similar reporting mechanisms will track the progress of all the commission’s recommendations. More generally, the strategic framework we are putting in place to drive the commission's recommendations through will also be an important enabling mechanism for delivery of the independent review group’s, IRG, actions.
My priority now is to ensure that there is one strategic plan for the transformation of the Defence Forces, fully understood by everyone, which has the appropriate governance and reporting mechanisms, and is properly resourced. Furthermore, the Government has agreed to progress the 13 recommendations in the IRG report, including the establishment of a statutory inquiry to investigate whether there have been serious systemic failures in dealing with individual complaints relating to interpersonal issues, including but not limited to sexual misconduct.
As I indicated in answer to previous questions, I have had detailed discussions with the women and men of honour groups, and a variety of other representative organisations, in respect of the draft terms of reference and the optimum modality of the inquiry, including whether it will be a commission of investigation or an inquiry under a public tribunal of inquiry Act. Those consultations are continuing. As I said, it is hoped I will be in a position to conclude this before the summer recess.
Will the Tánaiste indicate the extent to which he believes the issues, particularly the sensitive issues that have been raised by the Women and Men of Honour on the one hand, and the very involved and delicate business of upgrading the level of readiness of the Defence Forces to combat situations that may arise at very short notice on the other, are being dealt with? In the event of there being deficiencies in that area, will he address those in such a way as to reassure the Defence Forces and the public that they are well in hand?
I will follow on from that regarding the recommendations being put in place. Are there target dates for having all the recommendations fully in place? The Tánaiste referred to transformation. We also have challenges in retaining people in the Naval Service. Does he believe that in the next three to four years the current difficulty with retention will be resolved with the implementation of all these recommendations? Will the Government be over the hurdle of the challenges it currently faces within the next three to four years?
Deputy Durkan raised an important issue. We have to pursue, in parallel with the statutory inquiry and dealing comprehensively with the recommendations of the IRG, the issue of increasing capability within the Defence Forces.
That is why I mentioned the need for one overall plan to transform the Defence Forces. Culture has to change. What Women of Honour brought to light and what the independent review group has outlined is not to be separated from recruitment and retention issues. There is a need for culture change.
In answer to Deputy Burke, we are at 3.8% unemployment. We will have challenges for some time yet. We have outlined a range of measures to deal with recruitment and retention. I am concerned about the situation in the Naval Service and have had a series of meetings with the flag officer and Chief of Staff on optimising current resources to fulfil our obligations in fisheries protection, on the maritime front and more generally across the Defence Forces. We recently announced eligibility for secondary health services for all enlisted personnel in the Defence Forces, which is a significant progress point. Pay has gone up significantly for new recruits. For those coming out of leaving certificate, it is more than €37,000, and €46,000 for a graduate joining.
We need to continue to work on broader issues relating to recruitment and retention, particularly in terms of early retirement. I got responses already from Government and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on extending the retirement age for those heading to 2024 and am working with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to see if we can, with other Departments, extend the retirement age more significantly because that is one early route to retaining people longer in our Defence Forces.
In view of the necessity to bring the level, strength and equipment of the Defence Forces up to speed at an early date on issues such as pay, which has a bearing on recruitment, might it be possible to introduce emergency changes to pay and conditions, with a view to bringing the forces up to the greatest level of readiness for something happening which we can anticipate but cannot quantify? Could that be done at the earliest possible date?
The Tánaiste has already announced funding for accommodation for members of the Defence Forces. Are we likely to see the roll-out of a five-year plan dealing with accommodation? While there are certain restrictions on what changes can be made, substantial change can be made in the area of accommodation to make it attractive for people to come into the Defence Forces and stay in them. Can further progress be made in the offering of accommodation?
On pay, I said in reply to an earlier question, there has been significant progress on pay for new recruits. Current pay rates, including military service allowances for recruits on completion of their training, start at €37,147 in year 1, rising to €38,544 in year 2 and €39,832 in year 3 of service. A school-leaver cadet, on commissioning, is paid €41,123. After two years, they are promoted to lieutenant and their pay rises to €46,406. Where a graduate joins, the pay rate on commissioning begins at €46,406. They are significant improvements on what went before.
We have recently outlined free private care for all enlisted personnel, which is a significant additional boost to members of our Defence Forces. Under the next national pay round, we will raise issues pertaining to the Defence Forces.
We have invested significantly in accommodation. I have made it clear I want a significant programme of investment in accommodation, as well as a better design. What happened in Haulbowline was excellent. There was some very good work on Haulbowline Naval Service headquarters. I believe all existing facilities or accommodation that went into dereliction or disuse should be restored and refurbished and have given instructions in that respect to our Defence Forces. Much of the accommodation is for those in training, induction, courses and programmes but I am anxious that we would do high quality accommodation into the future. There is a programme there in all barracks. I visited more or less all barracks with a view to looking at existing facilities. It is all to improve the environment for those working in our Defence Forces. I have given instructions in respect of negotiations on the organisation of working time directive. Good progress has been made in the last month and I want to see that brought to a conclusion. That is important as well.
