2026-06-09

123. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence her views on the matter of entry-level cadet pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43735/26]

I raised this issue with the Minister a little over a month ago but unfortunately we have seen no progress. It is an issue of enormous concern for cadets and their representative organisation, RACO. It potentially creates problems for our ability to recruit and retain people of quality. We need to see this addressed. The Minister promised to address it. She is seven or eight months in her role now but, as yet, we have seen no progress.

I have been in office for a little bit less than that but I am absolutely determined that we make progress across all areas of pay when it comes to the Defence Forces, at every level. The Deputy will appreciate that much of that work will have to happen through the normal process of the public sector pay agreements. At the same time, I have been very clear that where we can make progress in other ways, I would like to do so. I want to highlight the significant progress that the Government has made on pay and conditions for Defence Forces personnel, particularly over the last five years, including in the area of cadet pay. For context, in July 2021 the first entry-level point for a cadet joining the Defence Forces was €19,640 but as of 1 June 2026 the first point on the scale for a cadet joining the Defence Forces is €26,510, an increase of almost €7,000. I appreciate that for somebody who is coming in later in life who has financial commitments, that is not going to be at a level that he or she might achieve in other areas. However, we have different pay scales that apply during the cadetship period depending on qualification, with the current pay scale applicable to cadets ranging from €26,510 up to almost €40,000. Cadets are also provided with accommodation and meals free of charge which obviously adds significant value, on top of the overall pay package. Following the cadetship and on commissioning, officers' starting salaries range from €46,823 to €52,265, depending on whether they joined as school-leavers or graduates. What is very clear is that there is still a high level of interest in joining the Defence Forces through cadetship. We received 2,878 applications for 80 cadetship places this year. We want to make sure that when we fill those numbers we maintain people and keep people there. If we compare that even with last year, there were 1,819 and in 2024 there were 1,791, so the numbers have increased significantly. I believe the increase in the overall pay will help towards that but this is not to say I am not determined and committed to try to increase those numbers even further.

The Minister is committed to trying to increase those numbers but is she committed to addressing this discrepancy? Is the Minister committed? That is what I want to know. Cadet pay is one of the lowest in the Defence Forces at €503 per week compared with €550 for a recruit, which rises to €627 after 12 weeks. In the first year they earn 40.7% less than their enlisted counterparts. I cannot speak for every category of cadet that is coming through but there have been issues in the past where groups have come out of training in the Defence Forces and a large number of them have ended up in the private sector because the terms and conditions are more attractive. If we are putting in the money and putting in the effort in respect of people who are dedicated and committed and who want to serve their country in the Defence Forces, we should be trying to keep them. Particularly with the current cost of living, this pay is nowhere near adequate. It is below the national minimum wage for the hours they work, which are quite considerable.

The Deputy will be aware that anything we do in this regard has to be very much in line with the parameters of the public pay policy. I am not the Minister for public expenditure and reform. What I can do is look to see whether there are other mechanisms by which we can increase the overall figure. I have met RACO and I have spoken to its representatives about this. I know this is a real priority for it. While I gave a very clear commitment when I met them earlier this year that this is something I would pursue, I have to do it through the various different channels. The issue is on the agenda of the conciliation and arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. I have agreed to see if there is something further or another mechanism or way in which we can address this. There also has been engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on the issue of cadet pay. It has highlighted again the public service pay agreements and the need to work within those parameters. We also have the local bargaining process. I appreciate that this is taking longer than any of us would like but this allows parties to bring forward proposals up to a maximum value equivalent to 3% of basic pay, with 1% to be paid from the current agreement and then the balance addressed in any successor payment agreement. There are opportunities in the various different processes that I have mentioned to try to address pay and conditions. I may come back in on some of the other areas where we have tried to address what the Deputy said, namely, how, when we get people in, we actually maintain them and improve conditions more broadly; not just for cadets.

I have said before that sometimes I get a bit worried in that while I am not against local bargaining per se, it worries me when the holy world and all is going to be fixed through local bargaining. It comes up time and again that it will fix this, that and the other. Ultimately, it comes down to 1% of the payroll in an individual pay deal. I believe what cadets want to hear is that the Minister is committed to doing this and that she will address this. The Minister has said that she will try to progress it but we need to see a clearer commitment in that regard. In the time I have left I will briefly raise another issue on the welfare of Defence Forces personnel in the context of the tribunal process. The Women of Honour group has raised the issue of the absence of interim funding for representation. This will constrain them considerably in their ability to participate in the tribunal particularly given that the State obviously is well funded with resources for its representation. The Minister might consider that also.

I thank the Deputy. I repeat what I have said on the floor of the House here but also when engaging with RACO and other members. I am committed to working with them in trying to advance not just pay but overall working conditions for members of the Defence Forces. If we want to achieve higher numbers, if we want to achieve a greater workforce design and if we want to expand our overall priorities, objectives and our overall capabilities then we need to make sure that we are looking at every aspect here. I have to work within the processes that are there, however. I have to work within the public sector pay agreement. I have to work within the structures that are there. Local bargaining is there and it is within the remit and the gift of the different representative groups to decide what they want to prioritise within that. We will work closely with them to try to make progress on this matter. I have no doubt that we will and that very soon we will be talking about the next public sector pay agreement and how we can see a greater level of increase across the board,. In terms of the tribunal, I have to work within the legal parameters of the tribunal and it is only for the chair of the tribunal to decide where and when costs would be awarded. It is not a decision that I can take. I have relayed this directly to the Women of Honour but obviously a decision has been taken in the last few days by the judge and it is a matter for the judge in the tribunal to address those matters specifically and to respond to the request.