I thank the Deputy for the question and wish to outline my Department’s position in relation to a recommendations made by an Adjudicator under the Conciliation and Arbitration (C&A) Scheme concerning allowances affecting members of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) and Defence Forces Chefs.
In respect of the ARW allowance, increases were recommended following adjudications, including an increase backdated to 1 June 2006 recommended in 2010, with a further upward review in 2014 and periodic reviews thereafter. However, implementation of retrospection was not possible at the time due to the operation of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation between 2009 and 2015, which restricted the payment of pay increases and retrospection across the public service.
Following the conclusion of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018–2020, an offer was made to PDFORRA to implement a number of outstanding adjudications, including the ARW allowance, on a non-retrospective basis with effect from 1 October 2018. This offer was accepted in September 2019, without prejudice to the Association’s right to pursue legal proceedings on behalf of its members. Consequently, there is no sanction in place to pay arrears in respect of the period from 2006 to 2018, and no arrears remain outstanding for that period.
More recently, the ARW allowance was referred to the Defence Sector Arbitration Board, which recommended in 2023 that the allowance be increased by €200 per month, together with an additional 5% increase, with effect from 1 October 2021. This recommendation was sanctioned by the then Minister for Defence and by the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in July 2023. The increase and the associated back pay to 1 October 2021 have been implemented.
Pay and allowance matters affecting Defence Forces Chefs were also addressed through the Conciliation and Arbitration, adjudication and sanction processes that apply across the Defence Forces. As with the ARW allowance, the payment of any arrears arising from historical agreements is subject to formal sanction and the terms under which such agreements were implemented. In line with longstanding practice across the public service, allowances and associated arrears apply to serving personnel only, unless specific sanction or agreement provides otherwise.
I fully recognise the contribution made by both current and former members of the Defence Forces, including those in highly specialised roles. While issues of morale and retention are multifaceted, my Department remains focused on improving pay, conditions and career structures for serving personnel. In this context, the ARW allowance has increased on a number of occasions in recent years and, following the most recent increase on 1 February 2026, now stands at €317.41 per week for post-2013 enlisted personnel, €304.36 per week for pre-2013 enlisted personnel, and €304.37 per week for officers. These measures are intended to support retention and reflect the demanding and specialist nature of these roles.
