All members should be aware of their entitlements under the above mentioned administrative instruction.

Administrative Instruction 08/2002 provides for the issuing of a free travelling warrant (LA 52), or the payment of travelling expenses in lieu, once weekly or for Defence Force Holidays, to all members of the Defence Forces who normally reside with their families and also single personnel who have permission to reside outside barracks, who are absent from their permanent station on temporary duty eg, relief duty, a course of instruction or training, temporary security duty etc.

The free travelling warrant or travelling expenses in lieu will be applicable to journeys from the location where the temporary duty is being performed to the permanent station of the personnel concerned. Where the home of the personnel concerned is between the permanent station and the location of the temporary duty the free travelling warrant or travelling expenses in lieu will be paid between these locations.

Travelling expenses will be paid within the following limits.

• Where public transport is available the cost by public transport or if the journey is undertaken in own car mileage allowance at the rates prescribed in DFR S3.
• Where public transport is not available and the journey is undertaken in own car at the mileage rates prescribed in DFR S3.

The above arrangements do not involve an entitlement to subsistence allowances and do not apply to those undertaking duty with No 1 Security Coy.   

Recruitment of General Service Enlisted Personnel (Army) has recommenced. This follows the recruitment of 40 Enlisted Personnel to the Naval Service (NS) earlier in the year.

Online only applications for General Service Enlistment in the Army are being sought in respect of the Eastern, Southern and Western Brigades as well as the Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC).

It is intended to bring the recruits to the Eastern and Southern Brigades first and move to the Western Brigade and DFTC later. 

The closing date for receipt of applications online is 20^th September 2010. 

PDFORRA has received confirmation that the Public Service Pension Rights Order 2010 applies to all members retiring up until 31^st December 2011.

The Public Service Pension Rights Order 2010 extends by a year the period within which the superannuation benefits of retiring public servants, including Enlisted Personnel of the PDF, will be unaffected by the pay reductions set out in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No 2) Act, 2009. This extension will run until 31^st December 2011.

The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No 2) Act, 2009 provided that the pay cuts shall be disregarded when calculating the superannuation benefits (pension and lump sum) of any person leaving the PDF during 2010. The Public Service Pension Rights Order 2010 extends this until 31^st December 2011.

The Public Service Pension Rights Order 2010 (SI/302/2010) was signed by the Minister for Finance, Mr Brian Lenihan, TD, on 18^th June 2010 and applies to PDFORRAs membership regardless of rejection of the Public Service Agreement 2010 – 2014 (Croke Park Agreement).

 Gerry Rooney, General Secretary of PDFORRA said today, “This overdue announcement is welcome. Last year we publicly raised the health and safety issues and indeed risks associated with operating ships which are over 30 years old. This has seen hull damage become apparent in some ships as well has unacceptably levels of noise in certain areas. The decision to purchase new ships will mitigate some of the adverse impact of the years of chronic underfunding”.

 Despite the lack of funding the Naval Service has significantly increased its seagoing productivity over the last decade. Over that period of time the proportion of GDP spent on Defence has fallen from 1% to the lowest in the EU at 0.5%.

 PDFORRA looks forward to the arrival of two new Naval Service patrol vessels, one in 2014 and one in 2015, as announced.

  ENDS

Willie Webb, President of PDFORRA said today, “It is extremely sad to learn of the untimely death of Lt-Gen Dermot Earley, our former colleague and Chief of Staff.  We extend our deepest sympathy to the Earley family at this most difficult time.  General Earley will be remembered as someone who commanded the respect of all of us – and as a man who served the Defence Forces with distinction, both at home and overseas.  His contribution to the GAA as one of the most outstanding players of all time is deservedly well recognised.  He will be remembered with respect and fondness always”.

 PDFORRA Deputy General Secretary, Simon Devereux said today: “The vote for rejection of the Croke Park Agreement by members of PDFORRA will see us immediately seek to re-open negotiations on elements of the deal which are of immense concern to our members. The major source of this unease is the lack of clarity in the ‘Department of Defence Modernisation Agenda’, and without clarification and adjustment it will not be possible to secure the support of PDFORRAs membership”.

 PDFORRA believes that the list of commitments being sought under the ‘Modernisation Agenda’, in return for vague guarantees on members pay were excessive – particularly so given the widespread reform process that has taken place in the organisation over the past decade or so.

 ENDS

 PDFORRA is continually endeavouring to provide the best range of products and services to our members.

We are delighted to announce that as of 1^st June 2010 car and home insurance is now even easier with AXA’s Partner Payment Plan.

AXA’s partner payment allows members of PDFORRA to pay their motor and home insurance premium by direct debit at no extra cost.

What’s more, as a member of PDFORRA you will receive a range of additional benefits.

• 10% off the cost of your car insurance.
• Free breakdown cover.
• 10% off your new home insurance policy.
• €30 off your home insurance renewal.

 For more information, drop into your local AXA Insurance branch, or call AXA now on 1890 600 600 or email partners@axa.ie

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 The main points of clarification on matters arising from the Public Sector Agreement issued recently are as follows:

 Pay: It has been confirmed that the Government will operate the clause that states, “The implementation of this Agreement is subject to no unforeseen budgetary deterioration”, in a bona fide manner.

 Though priority will be given in the Spring 2011 review of public service employees with pay rates of €35,000 or less, this does not prevent staff with salaries in excess of that amount from benefiting from this initial or subsequent yearly reviews.

 Compulsory Redundancy: The Government have committed to no compulsory redundancy actions on the basis that the redeployment arrangements in the draft agreements are utilised as an alternative to redundancy where staff have become surplus for whatever reason in order to fill vacancies that are approved for filling in accordance with Government policy.

 Redeployment: It has been confirmed that Government will operate redeployment in a reasonable manner and with due regarded for personal circumstances. There will not be serial or multiple redeployments.

 Pensions: The Government has clarified that no change in the current arrangements for the indexation of pensions for current public service pensioners and serving public servants will be implemented during the period of the Agreement.

 A separate process of engagement is underway between the Department of Finance and Trade Union representatives, including PDFORRA and the Department of Defence, on the new pension arrangements for 2010 entrants which has its own dedicated dispute resolution mechanism.

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PDFORRA is continually endeavouring to provide the best range of products and services to our members.

If you or particularly your partner is diagnosed with a serious illness your household income may fall dramatically. How would you and your family cope financially if either of you suffered a serious illness?  The Specified Illness Cover plan provides PDFORRA members with peace of mind and financial support in the event that you or your partner falls ill.  It can help pay for home modifications, lifestyle changes and medications that might be needed after a diagnosis or event.

In the past 5 years, the plan has paid out more than €500,000 to 12 of our colleagues and their spouses. 

The new and improved scheme now pays a full payment if you are diagnosed with one of 36 conditions, this was previously 26. The scheme also includes a new partial payment of €10,000 on an additional 10 conditions. The partial payment is the first of its kind in the Irish market and 8 of the 10 partial payment conditions are brand new to the Irish market.

What is the benefit level under the plan and how much does it cost?

 This plan is designed to provide €70,000 cover for you/and your spouse/partner. Individual cover costs €3.00 per week. To cover yourself and your spouse/partner; costs as little as €6.00 per week. Furthermore your children are automatically covered for €15,000 free of charge.

Full detail of the scheme including an online application facility and application forms for download are available in our members section of the website www.PDFORRA.ie     Don’t risk your family’s future financial security. Irrespective of age, if you haven’t already joined consider doing so now.

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 PDFORRA is aware that on certain occasions members have not received their Security Duty Allowance (SDA) and Patrol Duty Allowance (PDA) payments on the normal monthly basis. It is often explained as necessary because of exceeding the unit budget or as a failure to process the necessary paperwork. This is entirely unacceptable particularly so in the current economic circumstances.

 On every occasion where this occurs or is threatened PDFORRA will endeavour to secure the payments on or as soon as possible following the normal scheduled payment dates. This will involve discussions with the Military Authorities and or the Department of Defence.

 It is also the case that such late payments may in fact constitute a breach of the Payment of Wages Act, 1991. This Act provides that any non-payment of wages or any deficiency in the amount of wages owed is regarded as an unlawful deduction unless the deficiency or non-payment is attributable to an error of computation.

 PDFORRA has notified the Military Authorities and the Department of Defence of this view and has asked them to operate the payment of allowances such as SDA and PDA in compliance with its provisions. However, committees and members should be vigilant and ensure that the Acts provisions are actually enforced.

 Generally it should be possible to secure the payment of SDA, PDA etc on the correct dates in negotiations with the Military Authorities and Department of Defence – however should this fail the case may be referred to a Rights Commissioner under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991.

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