Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022
322. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the engagement that he has had with the Department of Defence on the shortage of qualified engine room artificers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35997/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Defence, I am in daily contact with my officials as part of the on-going business of the Department including the recruitment and retention challenges in the Naval Service.
In response to such challenges I approved a comprehensive Naval Service regeneration plan in 2021 which is being progressed and monitored by a high-level civil/military team. The aim of the plan is to address the issues facing the Naval Service in the context of human resources, operational capacity, and infrastructure. A number of the staffing measures in the plan have been implemented.
Additionally, general service and direct entry recruitment is ongoing. 12 direct entry engine room artificer (ERA) applications have been received to date in 2022 and 5 ERA’s have been inducted by direct entry over the past 3 years. Direct entry terms and conditions continue to be revised to improve intakes.
Specialists, such as ERA can prove difficult to retain as there are competing demands for such specialists in other sectors. In relation to retention measures to counter this, pay has improved as a result of increases arising from the Public Service Pay Commission report and from recent pay agreements. The Naval Service commitment scheme and a tax credit for sea going Naval Service personnel are further examples of targeted measures I introduced.
The PSPC report on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces made a range of recommendations with a view to addressing recruitment and retention issues and these have been progressed.
Furthermore, consideration of the recommendations of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces is ongoing. I intend to revert shortly to Government with a proposed response to those recommendations and a high-level action plan, which will set out proposed timelines and oversight arrangements for its implementation.
