Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
382. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Defence if he will engage with an association (details supplied) to ensure the implementation of the high-level implementation plan as part of the Public Service Pay Commission recommendations from 2020, as promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23516/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) on Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces was published on the 4th of July 2019. The Report was accepted in full by Government and, to facilitate implementation, an extensive High Level Plan titled "Strengthening our Defence Forces – Phase One” was also agreed and published on the same date.
The PSPC report contains a broad range of recommendations which have provided immediate benefits to members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) totalling some €10m, as well as initiatives that will lead to further improvements. Immediate benefits included a 10% increase in military service allowance; the restoration to pre-Haddington Road levels of certain specific Defence Forces allowances; the restoration of premium rates for certain weekend duties and the restoration of a service commitment scheme for Air Corps pilots.
The Report provides for an examination of pay structures in the PDF and the identification of other retention measures, which will be progressed within the framework of the Public Service Stability Agreement and future public sector pay negotiations.
The Report also contains a range of other recommendations including a review of recruitment methods, enhanced workforce planning, enhanced professional military education, bespoke leadership training, development of a mental health and wellbeing strategy, a review of barriers to extended participation in the PDF, the development of further non-pay retention measures and consideration of the provision of additional specialist posts in certain areas.
Work on implementing the recommendations has been ongoing within my Department since the implementation plan was published in July 2019. However, the Covid-19 emergency impacted project timeframes for many of the remaining projects. For some projects resources were necessarily reassigned to matters relating to the COVID-19 response. In other instances, there were challenges in terms of progressing projects via remote means and where other essential work necessarily took priority. However these challenges are being overcome and work on all of the outstanding projects has resumed. Projects are being progressed as quickly as is possible in the circumstances.
Since the launch of the High Level Implementation Plan, PDFORRA have had three briefing sessions provided by the Program Management Office on the status of projects under the plan.
The Representative Associations have also been invited to submit any material that they wish to be considered relating to any of the projects. I can confirm that my Department will fully engage with the Representative Associations on all matters that fall within the scope of representation, as and when Official side proposals are finalised.
