Defence Forces
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-17
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Helen McEntee (FG), Meath East

I answered a question on this earlier, specifically around the committee, its recommendations and the working times. Where members work additional or irregular hours, they are compensated through allowances and structured systems of compensatory rest. This is an element that addresses the time issue. In addition, the pensionable military service allowance, which is designed to compensate for the special disadvantages associated with military life, including the long and unsociable hours, is paid to all ranks up to the level of colonel. That military service allowance is also a pensionable allowance. While I fully accept the ECSR outcome, what I want to do now is look at the structures that are in place, the way in which members are paid for the additional or irregular hours, such as the bank holidays and the various different times, and how all of that aligns with the overall ruling of the committee in the last few weeks. I am committed to making sure that we are compliant. Obviously, we would work with the representative associations that are supporting their members and that brought forward that particular case.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:38+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-17