Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
140. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 207 of 11 September 2023, the status of the review of the conciliation and arbitration scheme for the PDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2213/24]
View answerThe Conciliation & Arbitration (C&A) Scheme for the Permanent Defence Force is the mechanism for addressing industrial issues within the Defence sector. In line with the Irish model of industrial relations, this is a voluntary mechanism which provides structures for management and staff to engage on collective issues that may arise. These structures have helped to maintain positive industrial relations in the sector over a number of years.
A revised Conciliation and Arbitration scheme is in place since 2020, incorporating the recommendations of an independent review of the scheme. An independent Chair of Conciliation Council, which the Permanent Defence Force Representative Associations had sought as a key outcome from the review, was appointed in March 2020.
A review of the C&A Scheme is currently being undertaken by the Independent Chair of the Conciliation Council. This was mutually agreed by all parties to the Scheme. Individual submissions have been sought and received by the Chair from all parties to the Scheme, and discussions between the Chair and the individual parties, on foot of those discussions, continue.
A plenary session, involving all parties to the C&A Scheme, was held in late 2023. Following on from this, further discussions have taken place. The Chair currently plans to hold a final plenary session, again with all parties, in order to complete this review early in 2024.
