Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 October 2018
61. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason pay is being held up for members of the Defence Forces Reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44243/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the pay of Reserve Defence Force (RDF) personnel, the relevant instruction in force provides that members are to be paid on the Friday of the week in which they have undertaken fulltime training. Nominations for attendance at paid training must be submitted to the Department of Defence by military units to arrive not less than 14 days in advance of the start of training. Actual attendance at paid training is then confirmed to the Department by the relevant unit on the Monday of the training week and, subject to all normal administrative requirements being met, payment is then authorised to issue on the Friday of the training week. Payrolls must, of necessity, operate within strict banking and payroll deadlines in order to ensure that personnel who are duly nominated for paid training are paid on time.
The foregoing procedures are of long standing and are designed to facilitate payment at the end of the training week to those who attended. The military authorities have been communicated with on this issue and requested to ensure full compliance with the requirement to forward initial nominations and confirmations of attendance on the basis set out in the relevant instruction.
In addition, specific protocols are in place when personnel exceed certain paid attendance thresholds and in such cases special permission must be sought in advance from the Department.
If the Deputy has a specific case in mind he can send me the details and I will have the matter examined.
