Written Answers Nos. 41-55
41. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence if his Department plans to review the tech pay and allowance and the specific service commitment schemes for aircraft technicians within the Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58337/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraPublic Sector Pay policy is determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform having regard to Public Sector Pay Agreements.
Members of the Defence Forces have received increases in pay and allowances in accordance with recent public service pay agreements, the most recent under the Building Momentum extension agreement, which allows for:
- a 3% backdated pay-rise to 02 February 2022, which has been paid to members of the Defence Forces,
- A further 2% pay increase on 1st March 2023, and
- 1.5% or €750, whichever is the greater, on 1st October 2023.
In addition to the general round of pay increases, members of the Permanent Defence Force have also benefited from the implementation of increases in Defence Forces allowances as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission. This included a 10% increase in the Military Service Allowance.
The Public Service Pay Commission also recommended the completion of the review of Technical Pay Groups 2 - 6, which was underway at that time. Qualified Airmen, Corporal Aircraft Technicians, and Sergeant Aircraft Technicians holding an appointment in the Defence Forces Establishment benefited from Technical Pay uplifts under that Review. My Department has no plans currently to undertake a further review of technical pay and allowances.
There is not currently a service commitment scheme for aircraft technicians within the Air Corps.
42. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the delayed payment of the Covid recognition payment to the Defence Forces. [57492/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra43. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the status of the payment to soldiers who worked with the health services during the Covid pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58139/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together.
In January 2022, the Government announced a COVID-19 Pandemic Recognition Payment (PRP) for front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. At Government level, the Department of Health has primary policy responsibility for this initiative, with the consent of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The payment is not be subject to income tax, USC, or PRSI. The Government announcement also made provision for a pro-rata application of the payment. The payment amounts to €1,000 for those eligible staff who worked at least 60% WTE, for at least 4 weeks during the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021, and €600 for below 60% WTE. Those who worked less than 4 weeks are not in scope.
The measure is ring-fenced to eligible staff ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments. In terms of Defence Forces personnel, this includes members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE.
Work to identify COVID duties undertaken by members of the Defence Forces has been completed as an initial step in identifying personnel who are eligible for this recognition payment. Significant engagement has subsequently taken place between officials from the Department of Defence and the Department of Health to determine which of these duties undertaken by Defence Forces personnel, as part of the State's response to the COVID pandemic, have been deemed "in scope" and therefore eligible for this payment, under the Department of Health's scheme. It is important to note that ultimate interpretation of the scheme remains a matter for the Minister for Health, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to ensure that Pandemic Recognition payments are made to eligible Defence Forces members in the shortest possible time frame, with the intention being that the bulk of eligible payments will be made before Christmas.
44. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Defence when he expects the Defence Forces’ office of reserve affairs to be established; the proposed structure of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57630/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF), published last February, contains many detailed recommendations, including on the future structure and role of the RDF. As the Deputy will also be aware, in July of this year, I announced that the Government has approved a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework by the Commission.
This will result in the Defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028, the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State. This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the Commission.
A High Level Action Plan (HLAP) that sets out the Government’s response to the CODF was also approved which centres on Five Core Areas and Associated Strategic Objectives -
1.Transformational change to modernise the Organisational Culture, its Human Resources Strategy and practices;
2. Reform High-level Command and Control and creation of a Joint Strategic Headquarters;
3. Reform and Restructure the Services;
4. Revitalise the Reserve Defence Force;
5. Joint Capability Development.
A High-Level Steering Board has been established, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, to oversee the implementation. An independently chaired Implementation Oversight Group has also been established to monitor the implementation of the recommendations approved by Government, and has met on two occasions.
In addition, a Civil/Military Implementation Management Office has been established. This office will support the implementation of the overall programme, initially focusing on some 38 Early Actions to be completed within six months of the Government decision as set out in the High Level Action Plan.
Those Early Actions include the establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs with the priority objective of developing a Regeneration Plan for the Reserve Defence Force. As the Deputy will be aware, taking forward these Actions is a significant body of work, not least in terms of ensuring adequate resources are in place and obtaining the appropriate sanctions. In this regard, I am aware that military management and the Department are working intensely to meet the ambitious targets set out in the Action Plan.
I wish to assure the Deputy that that the Government remains fully committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) and the establishment of the Office of Reserve Affairs. The development of a Regeneration Plan will be a key step in this endeavour.
45. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence the progress that has been made in relation to plans for the protection of critical State infrastructure in the coming months and years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57665/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Defence, I chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning (GTF) supported by the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) in my Department. A subgroup of the GTF was assigned responsibility to develop guidance on critical infrastructure resilience in 2017. The subgroup produced the first guideline document on critical infrastructure resilience in February 2019. This document was subsequently revised and updated in July 2021.
While the primary responsibility for safeguarding critical infrastructure rests with its owner or operator, the guideline document provides the methodology for operators of essential services to follow to enhance their resilience. It also outlines that it is the responsibility of each government department to foster links and work closely with the semi-state and private sector operators of critical infrastructure, in their respective policy areas, to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure from a wide variety of threats.
The OEP is also the focal point for the new European Critical Entities Resilience Directive which aims to enhance the resilience of critical entities that provide services essential for vital societal functions or economic activities in the internal market. This Directive will create a framework to support Member States in ensuring that critical entities are able to prevent, resist, absorb and recover from disruptive incidents, whether they are caused by natural hazards, accidents, terrorism, insider threats, or public health emergencies. This new Directive is expected to be legally adopted at the end of this year with a 21-month transposition period to bring it into Irish law. Because of its role as focal point for this new Directive, the OEP also ensures that information concerning the resilience of critical entities is communicated in appropriate ways to Government Departments and sectors of relevance. This includes advisories for the information of operators of essential services and critical infrastructure as and when required.
While there is no specific threat to Irish critical infrastructure, given the international context, it is clear that good practice necessitates national authorities across the European Union ensure the resilience of their critical infrastructure. Therefore, it is the Government position that it is prudent for operators of critical infrastructure to examine and enhance their resilience by increasing their physical security arrangements. An advisory has been issued from the OEP in my Department to that effect.
Also of note is that the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces continue to engage with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the protection of Ireland’s offshore energy infrastructure and data cables. While the Defence Forces have limited sub-sea capabilities, enhanced maritime patrolling of the Irish Sea in the vicinity of priority offshore energy infrastructure has commenced. The enhanced patrolling is being conducted by a mixture of air and naval platforms.
46. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Defence his plans to improve the capacity of the Office of Emergency Planning in view of the increasing frequency and impact of adverse weather events due to climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58349/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Emergency Planning in my Department acts as the secretariat to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning. The Office of Emergency Planning is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the National Emergency Coordination Centre and for coordinating emergency planning arrangements across government, which is achieved through the Strategic Emergency Management, National Structures and Framework (SEM) suite of documents.
Annex 'A' of SEM outlines lead government department responsibility for each of 50 emergency types. The lead government department allocated responsibility for planning for, responding to and recovering from severe weather events is the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage.
The Office of Emergency Planning is required to convene a National Emergency Coordination Group meeting within 1 hour of notification by a lead government department. In the case of a national emergency being declared by the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage as a result of a severe weather incident, the Office of Emergency Planning is sufficiently resourced to meet this requirement, as it is for all types of emergencies.
48. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence the way in which he proposes to improve the conditions of service for Defence Forces medical officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58279/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recruitment and retention of trained medical personnel, as with other specialist areas within the Defence Forces, is a matter of priority.
The Deputy will be aware that a range of actions have already been taken to address the pay and conditions of Defence Forces personnel. in line with other public servants, the Defence Forces Medical Officers received a number of increases provided by the current public sector pay agreement, Building Momentum, during 2022. These included a 1% increase in annualised basic salaries in February 2022, and a general round increase in annualised basic salaries for all public servants, as well as an increase of 1% in fixed periodic pensionable allowances and allowances in the nature of pay, in October 2022. The recently agreed extension to this Building Momentum agreement provides for further increases in pay and allowances to all public servants, including members of the Defence Forces.
In addition to general round pay increases arising out of ongoing national pay agreements, members of the Permanent Defence Force have also benefitted from the implementation of increases in Defence Forces allowances, as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission in 2019. It is also important to note that for those Defence Force personnel who have specialist appointments, there are a range additional allowances available to them.
The recent Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces makes a range of recommendations and proposes significant changes, including the level of Defence provision in Ireland and recommendations in relation to capacity components required to achieve that provision. This includes, inter alia, consideration of morale, recruitment and retention matters. The recommendations of the Commission have been agreed by Government and a High Level Action Plan, published in July sets out the way forward including a range of early actions. The approach taken in implementing each of the Commission’s recommendations, including those relating to the conditions of Defence Forces personnel, is currently under consideration in light of the level of ambition agreed by Government.
49. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide further clarity on the purpose and function of his attendance as a keynote speaker at the "Building the Ecosystem" event in October 2022 which promoted Ireland's interaction with the arms industry. [58444/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the 'Building the Ecosystem' event was to provide information to Irish industry and research institutions with a view to identifying opportunities to collaborate on future projects and not to promote interaction with the arms industry.
The event represented the ongoing support from my Department and the Defence Forces, working together and engaging with Irish Enterprise and Academia. It provided assistance to Irish companies, especially SMEs, and Irish research institutions who are engaged in the development of technologies that enhance the capabilities of the Defence Forces and keep them safe, whether they are on missions and operations overseas or undertaking their range of duties at home in Ireland. These companies and research projects also create high-level employment across Ireland and export cutting edge technology around the world.
The event was fully consistent with Ireland's foreign policy, including our participation in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy and our traditional policy of military neutrality. Supporting Irish research and enterprise in accessing funding and in exploiting opportunities in capability development in the security and defence domain, and participation by such entities in such research and development opportunities, does not compromise Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality.
The event involved a number of Irish and European enterprises sharing their experience of the wide-ranging opportunities that there are for Irish research institutions and industrial entities in the security and defence domain, particularly for exploitation of dual use technologies. This included a small number of companies which exhibited some of their products.
The Defence Research Technology and Innovation Unit will support Irish enterprise and research bodies in accessing EU funding streams, including through the European Defence Fund and the European Defence Agency and their engagement with European networks and SMEs across the EU. These initiatives do not involve Ireland becoming a member of a military alliance nor a participant in any mutual defence arrangements.
52. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide an updated report on the progress that is being made on the further evaluation that is being carried out on the issue of long service increments in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57666/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra54. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on Project R3 - Incentivised long service arrangements - NCO and Officer rank in the High Level Implementation plan Strengthening our Defence Forces. [58284/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 54 together.
The Commission on the Defence Forces in its report published earlier this year, noted that the salary scales for a number of officer ranks includes two Long Service Increments (LSI). The Commission recommended the introduction of LSIs to non-commissioned ranks, including Private 3 Star, as a means of acknowledging the contribution, in ways than other than promotion, of high performing personnel who are happy to remain in the organisation at their existing level.
The Commission noted that one of the actions arising out of the Government’s High Level Plan to implement the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission, was to identify options for incentivised long service arrangements for certain Officer and NCO ranks. This formed part of the considerations of Project R3, the recommendations from which fell to be considered in the context of the sectoral bargaining element of ‘Building Momentum – the Public Service Agreement 2021-22.
The High Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which was approved by Government in July 2022, includes a recommendation for the introduction of Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel. An evaluation of the introduction of Long Service Increments to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel, within existing pay structures, is underway.
