Written Answers. - Air Corps Personnel.
Thomas P. Broughan
Ceist:
31
Mr. Broughan
asked the
Minister for Defence
if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by the commanding officer of the Air Corps (details supplied) regarding pro posed incentive bonus payments to encourage pilots to stay within the Air Corps; the number of such offers made; and the amounts of money in question.
[11771/02]
Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith): The service commitment scheme was introduced in 1997 for pilot officers of the Air Corps. From the outset the scheme applied primarily to experienced personnel who were currently rated on and flying the Gulfstream IV, Beechcraft, CASA and Dauphin aircraft which are the principal operational aircraft in the Air Corps.
The scheme was introduced with a view to assisting in the retention in service of experienced operational pilots in key appointments in areas such as search and rescue, maritime surveillance and ministerial air transport.
The gratuities available under the scheme were designed to strike a fair and reasonable balance between the demands of the external commercial environment and the need to exercise responsibility in relation to public service pay. Such financial incentives are not uncommon in Defence Forces in other countries where similar difficulties exist in retaining highly qualified and readily marketable personnel. The scheme, moreover, was perceived to offer a more acceptable avenue of approach for all concerned than the imposition of any compulsory retention.
The scheme was originally offered to selected personnel over a two year period from August 1997 to July 1999, inclusive. I am satisfied that, as a significant and innovative incentive scheme, it has helped both to stabilise the loss of key pilots from the Air Corps and to create an environment of some predictable manpower certainty for the medium term future in that regard. A total of 18 pilots had opted to participate under the terms of the scheme at the end of the original two year period of sanction. Application for entry to the scheme was, of course, entirely voluntary in nature.
In August 2000 the terms of the scheme were made available to a small additional number of pilots who had by then become eligible to participate and voluntary renewal of commitments was also offered to those pilots whose original period of commitment under the scheme had expired. Three pilots have entered into or renewed service commitments under this phase of the scheme.
Similarly, in August 2001 the terms of the scheme were made available to a small additional number of pilots. To date four pilots have entered into or renewed service commitments under this phase of the scheme. Since the scheme was introduced in 1997 a total of 42 offers have been made to eligible pilots. Twenty-two of these pilots have voluntarily entered into the scheme. The cost of the scheme to date is €1,155,461.58 which includes €72,288.10 to be paid at the end of this month.
Proposals for a new format of service commitment scheme are under active consideration by the military authorities.
