I would like to share my time with Deputy Gerry Reynolds.
Adjournment Debate. - FCA Personnel Reduction.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I should like to thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity of raising the issue in relation to the development within the FCA whereby, at present, a 25 per cent reduction of Permanent Defence Forces in the FCA is proposed. This reduction will leave the FCA seriously depleted of permanent Army personnel. In recent years there has been grave concern within the FCA about cutbacks of facilities, equipment, uniforms and so on which are available to the FCA. The summer camps of two weeks have been reduced to one week. When one realises that there are in the region of 20,000 personnel in the FCA operating on a voluntary basis, it is a very backward step to reduce the Permanent Defence Forces attached to the FCA.
It is now believed in certain sections of the Defence Forces that further downgrading of the FCA could lead to the abolition of this force. Reducing the permanent staff has led to quite a lot of confusion and the lowering of morale within the Defence Forces. Will the Minister say what the exact position is? Can he assure me that the FCA will not suffer further in the present cutbacks?
It has also been pointed out to me that a reduction in the Permanent Defence Forces attached to the FCA will be of no significance in financial savings. Instead, it will result in a great deal of concern and speculation among the staff as to where their future lies. There is no doubt that in the long term a further reduction of the permanent personnel would have a detrimental effect on morale and, obviously, on the activities of the FCA.
Another issue causing concern to the members of the FCA is the failure of the Minister, so far, to recognise the Reserve Defence Forces Association. I impress on the Minister the importance of his recognition of this association. I thank the Chair for giving me this opportunity to raise this issue and I will listen with great interest to the Minister's reply.
I thank Deputy Belton for sharing his time with me. I have one point to make and that is that the depletion of the permanent Army personnel within the FCA would be a retrograde step. By reducing the numbers of the Permanent Defence Forces attached to the FCA, as has been pointed out by Deputy Belton, the Government will make no major financial savings. However, one thing we can be sure of if this step is taken is that it will have a demoralising effect on the FCA who provide a service on a temporary basis. If sufficient permanent Army personnel are not assigned to that organisation there is no way the organisation can continue to operate. I ask the Minister to ensure that this reduction is not made in personnel numbers in the FCA.
The report of the Commission on Remuneration and Conditions of Service in the Defence Forces clearly underlined the desirability of examining the whole question of the present deployment of the Defence Forces. It is in this context that the question of the rationalisation of FCA units is being addressed.
At present over 900 personnel of the Permanent Defence Force are assigned on a full time basis to FCA units and subunits throughout the country. These personnel are employed in administration and training duties. The cost of their pay and allowances in the current year is about £16 million. The cost of the pay and allowances of Permanent Defence Force personnel employed with the FCA is substantial. It is appropriate that this cost should be critically examined at a time when all areas of Government expenditure are subject to rigorous scrutiny.
In recent months the military authorities have been engaged in an examination of the manner in which the training and administration of the FCA might be carried out on a more cost effective basis. As part of that process 45 Permanent Defence Force officers who had been employed with the FCA on a part time basis were withdrawn from such duties with effect from 1 September 1991. Apart from these officers, no decision has been taken to transfer Permanent Defence Force staff from any particular location. In that regard I wish to assure the House that full consideration will be given to the domestic or other difficulties that might arise for individual members of the Permanent Defence Force by being transferred from their present locations. This applies particularly in the case of non commissioned officers and privates who have been employed with the FCA for a considerable period of time.
It is important to bear in mind that there will be no loss of employment for any of the Permanent Defence Force personnel at present employed with the FCA. Any of them whom it may be decided should be transfered from their present location will fill other appointments in the Permanent Defence Force. They will also be eligible for removal expenses in accordance with Defence Force regulations. These expenses are paid to military personnel on change of station generally on the same basis as applies to civil servants.
I wish to assure the House that the Government are committed to maintaining the FCA as an important component of the Defence Forces. I am confident that the training and administration of the FCA will continue to be carried out to a satisfactory standard to enable the FCA to discharge their role. While most of these duties will continue to be performed by Permanent Defence Forces personnel, there will be a greater emphasis in further on training by FCA officers.
The Deputy referred to the fact that recently the period of training has been reduced from two weeks to one week. That was done in 1983, and not recently.
I did not say "recently".
The Deputy also referred to the fact that the representative associations were not recognised by me. I would like to advise the Deputy that not only do I recognise the associations, I actually met the national executives of both PDF associations two weeks ago.
One can meet members of an organisation and still not recognise them.
I wish to put the record straight lest there be any misunderstanding of my position.
I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the devoted service given by members of the FCA entirely on a voluntary basis.