Alan Kelly
Ceist:6. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet Committee that deals with matters relating to the Defence Forces and security. [25397/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 30 September 2020
Ceisteanna (6, 7)
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:7. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet Committee that deals with matters relating to the Defence Forces. [27068/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (10 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together.
While there is no formal Cabinet committee dealing exclusively with security matters, I receive regular updates on the security situation and any relevant incidents and events. Ministers can also update the Government as necessary on security-related issues that arise in their areas of responsibility. In addition, the national security committee is concerned with ensuring the Government is advised of high level security issues and the responses to them. It is chaired by the Secretary-General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Equality, Defence and Environment, Climate and Communications as well as representatives of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. Representatives of other Departments also attend when necessary.
With regard to the Defence Forces, depending on the issue in question, be it progressing reform measures, EU related defence issues or international peace-keeping missions, the issue may be discussed at a meeting of the most appropriate Cabinet committee or at bilateral meetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence.
I will address the question, but if I did not ask the Taoiseach today a question about the leaving certificate, we would not be talking about it. That is not the way to do politics.
We would.
We would not at the time. What would have happened is the spokespersons would have heard about it at 4 o'clock. The Government should at least have had the courtesy to bring in all of the spokespeople here and to meet with them at lunchtime to explain. It would have been the right thing to do. They have all worked incredibly hard. My colleague, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, has done a significant amount of work to support the Government through this and to make suggestions. That is the least the Government should have done. If I had not asked the question, we would not be dealing with it. The Government must ensure that students who have been offered places are not demoted. That must not happen.
It will not happen.
The Taoiseach needs to give that assurance. We must find additional places in very tight situations in that scenario. I will get to the matter raised in Questions Nos. 6 and 7. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for his indulgence. It has been an unusual day. The work to be carried out by the external company that is now coming in must not go on for too long because if it does, we could have another issue. That must not happen. I want to know the detail of the second error because it is a direct error by the Department. It does not matter if something is outsourced; an error is an error. This has been one of the worst days I have ever spent in this House. It is appalling for the students.
On the issue raised in Questions Nos. 6 and 7, the previous Government had a special Cabinet committee on defence and security matters but the current Government does not. Why not? Pay, allowances, recruitment, retention and career progression are among the six proposed issues listed to be dealt with in the context of the commission on the Defence Forces which is included in the programme for Government. Through which Cabinet subcommittee will that commitment be met? It was reported in August that personnel were leaving the Naval Service to join the Army because its allowances and conditions are better. This has to be dealt with. Does the Government intend to bring in emergency pay measures to address the problems that have been outlined? Will there be progress on these matters in the budget? Core pay is a significant issue in terms of retaining personnel. When will we see the terms of reference of the commission? Under what Cabinet committee is it being dealt with?
My colleague, Senator Wall, who is very passionate on defence issues, has raised the issue of honouring the soldiers involved in the siege of Jadotville. As the Taoiseach is aware, a campaign has been waged for a number of years to acknowledge and honour those soldiers for their amazing actions in the siege in 1961. Is that being considered by the Government? Will the Taoiseach make a statement on the matter?
Two errors have been discovered in the calculated grading system.
Are we satisfied that there are no other errors? Is there a possibility that this new expertise and review might, in fact, turn up other problems or errors?
The Taoiseach said the objective of keeping the information to themselves was to prioritise contact with students. What has been the nature of that contact? There has been none. The Taoiseach said they were putting students first. I believe the Department is establishing a helpline today. Is that happening today? The Taoiseach might clarify that for us. We need at least some sense now that the information is in the public domain that it is two errors and no more. The Taoiseach needs to give that assurance to people today.
The pay, conditions and accommodation of the serving Defence Forces is, as the Taoiseach will be aware, a long-running issue. Wives and partners of members of the Defence Forces have been put in the terrible position of having to campaign for fair pay and treatment for their families. Last year, the executive council of congress agreed in principle the application by Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, for affiliation as an associate member of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and that further discussions were necessary to bring the matter to a conclusion. The then Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Kehoe, stated in the Dáil that he was giving the ICTU affiliation careful consideration taking into account all the concerns, specifically those of military management and the Chief of Staff who had written to him. Has there been any progress on these matters within Government?
The Taoiseach will also be aware of the criticism of the previous Government to adequately progress the high-level implementation plan. What focus has the Cabinet committee given to the implementation plan and what approach will it take to expedite its delivery? Specifically, what is the committee's view of what the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers described as the unsustainably high level of staff turnover, which last year reached 10.5%. In July, the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, warned that despite Government commitments to boost numbers, they have fallen to an all-time low of 8,485 personnel. RACO attributed the fall in numbers to poor conditions of service, low rates of pay and outstanding pay issues. Accommodation is also a significant concern. I have seen at first hand these dire conditions. What focus is the committee giving to all these critical issues?
As I said, there is no security committee of Cabinet in the first instance. The main focus of the questions as they evolved is around pay, recruitment and retention. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Defence are engaged in terms of what measures can be taken, in particular to assist the Naval Service in its situation without creating issues for the wider public service pay agreement and pay framework. There are certain aspects that both Ministers and both Departments have been engaged in to facilitate some assistance for those who work in the Naval Service because, as has been articulated and as I myself have articulated, the overall strength of the Defence Forces is at 8,374. It was 8,724 in July last when the pay commission recommendations were accepted.
There are issues of both retention in, and recruitment to, the Defence Forces. The strength levels are continually impacted, even by the Covid-19 emergency. Covid-19 has resulted, for example, in the postponement of the majority of general service inductions that were planned to take place in the first half of the year. The planned induction was in the order of 310 personnel for the first half of 2020. The 2020 recruitment efforts have resulted in a total of 9,281 applications being received across 13 recruitment competitions. That issue of retention and recruitment of members to the Defence Forces continues to receive priority by Government.
The officer strength of 1,200, as of 31 August, represents 99% of the agreed establishment strength of 1,233. Certain officer ranks are under subscribed. Captains and others, such as lieutenants, are over subscribed. That will balance out over time.
A campaign to re-enlist and recommission former Permanent Defence Force, PDF, personnel has also yielded significant interest, with 736 applicants received. Ten personnel were re-enlisted as of 11 September. Three officers were recommissioned.
The establishment of the commission will be a further initiative designed to improve the situation overall in terms of the retention and recruitment of personnel to the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps.
Progress has been made on the implementation plan and the recommendations of the Public Service Pay Commission. There is the review of technical pay. They are the issues that are currently under consideration. Both Ministers are at an advanced stage in terms of the outcome of that technical review.
A report on incentivised long-service arrangements for certain officer and NCO ranks was completed and will be used to inform future pay negotiations. A final report on bespoke management training for leaders and managers was signed off by the project sponsors on 13 July.
There will be further initiatives undertaken. In terms of the commission on which the Minister will be bringing proposals to Government, that will create a further opportunity to look fundamentally at the Defence Forces and how can we ensure they are fit for purpose in terms of strength and capacity to retain over a sustained period of time personnel who enlist in them.
In terms of the union issue and ICTU, that is under ongoing consideration. There are issues to be fully thought through in terms of the long-term implications and the need to make sure that we are not in any way prevented from doing things for the Defence Forces that we need to do. The Defence Forces are key to underpinning our State, our society and our democracy. I worry that the numbers have been consistently below establishment for quite a number of years. That is something we need to redress and change for the future, and more permanently.
In terms of the issues that were raised in the context of the leaving certificate examination, I indicated already that the Department said that there were no further errors following its examination. Of course, the issues are ones that will be addressed comprehensively by the Minister later.
It needed to be dealt with in a comprehensive manner. Much of the work over the past number of days has been done by the Department officials going through what the implications of all of this are. That is necessary. We need to make sure that when this is announced, there are mechanisms in place to alleviate the anxiety students will undoubtedly have. There is no point going off half-cocked on an issue of this importance. For students and for people generally, it is important that the presentation by the Department and by the Minister is as comprehensive as it possibly can be at this juncture.
On the external group that has been brought in, its work needs to be conducted in a timely manner as well, subject to capacity, etc. My understanding is it will be done in a time-limited way so that it will not go on for any prolonged period of time.
As I said, the Minister is making a comprehensive statement today. I do not want to second guess any of that but that is the intention.
The Taoiseach already knows.
That is the intention. I am making it clear that depends on the company, as it looks at it. I do not want to pre-empt its work but, obviously, it has to be done in a timely way. The point is that students will have to be given assurances in terms of places they already have.
A lot of work will have to be done with the third level colleges, the universities and the CAO system to assist students in every possible way in order that they are not in any way disadvantaged as a result of the discovery of these errors. Prior to this, significant efforts were made to increase the number of places at third level to help students in an extraordinary year for them because of Covid-19, which resulted in the cancellation of the physical exams and the introduction of the calculated grade system. As it has been worked through, errors have been discovered which creates further anxiety for the students. That is deeply regretted. The most important response is to ensure we do everything we possibly can to allay any concerns students have and assist them in their progression into third level and education more generally.
Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.