Press release
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin welcomes the publication of the Strategic Framework Update Report
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The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin today welcomed the publication of the Strategic Framework - Transformation of the Defence Forces Update Report September 2023 – April 2024.
The aim of the Strategic Framework is to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into an organisation that is fit for the purpose of defending the State and meeting the challenges of today and the future.
The Strategic Framework sets out the key actions to be delivered before the end of 2024 from the Commission on the Defence Forces Report (CoDF) and the Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality issues in the Defence Forces (IRG). It also details the efforts underway in recruitment and retention, and in enhancing the physical working environment and equipment of our Defence personnel.
The Tánaiste said:
"When I published the Strategic Framework – Transformation of the Defence Forces in September 2023, I was absolutely clear on the immediate actions to be delivered in 2024 to support the transformation of our Defence Forces into a fit-for-purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future.
"My priority for this transformation is cultural change above all else. The end goal of this cultural change is to ensure that the Defence Forces is an equal opportunities employer reflective of contemporary Irish society, where all members are treated with dignity, is well-resourced, and provides a rewarding and attractive career path for new and existing personnel."
In the months since the publication of the Strategic Framework, the government has delivered a number of very significant actions that have had real impact on the Defence Forces personnel including:
- extension of private healthcare to enlisted ranks in September 2023
- doubling of the Patrol Duty Allowance (PDA) paid to Naval Service Personnel
- increases in maximum recruitment ages and mandatory retirement ages for Permanent Defence Force and Reserve Defence Force personnel
These measures will have a very positive impact on the overall benefits of joining and remaining in the Defence Forces, allied with the implementation of the Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024 – 2026.
In addition, enhancements to the physical working environment and equipment of our personnel has also continued.
This significant investment in our Defence Forces will continue as part of the ambitious programme of work outlined in the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.
This Strategic Framework consolidates key actions to be delivered by the end of 2024 from a number of reports and plans:
The Report of the Commission on Defence Forces (CoDF) was published in February 2022, in line with the Programme for Government commitment. A High Level Action Plan (HLAP) was presented to Government in July 2022. A Detailed Implementation Plan of the next phase of delivering on the transformation recommendations from the CoDF was published in November 2023.
The Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality issues in the Defence Forces (the ‘IRG Report’), was published in March 2023. This report examined the current policies, systems and procedures for dealing with matters relating to dignity, discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces.
Core priorities identified for completion by the end of 2024 under the Strategic Framework are:
i. Specific actions to support cultural change within the Defence Forces through a well-designed and expertly implemented culture change programme, led and driven convincingly from the leadership of the Defence Forces.
ii. That the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces are stabilised, and thereafter increasing the strength towards the level of ambition arising from the Report of the Commission on Defence Forces.
iii. The implementation of an agreed policy for the application of the Working Time Directive within the Defence Forces.
iv. To progress specific projects to enhance the physical working environment and equipment of our personnel including specific capability enhancements across all Services.
v. To set up a new independent, external complaints service for serving members of the Defence Forces and a new complaints process for civilians and civil servants.
vi. To introduce the legislative changes to support the transformation of the Defence Forces.
vii. To set up the Judge led Tribunal of Inquiry to examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces into workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.
The Strategic Framework Update Report sets out the specific actions completed under the Framework relating to:
» recommendations of the IRG Report (section 2);
» recommendations of the CoDF (section 3);
» recruitment to & retention of personnel to our Defence Forces (section 4);
» enhancing the physical working environment and equipment of our personnel (section 5); and
» legislative changes to underpin the transformation agenda (section 6)
The governance and reporting arrangements outlined in the Strategic Framework to oversee this transformation and bring transparency and accountability are now in place and working including:
» The Strategic Framework Review Meeting chaired by the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, at which the Secretary General of the Department of Defence and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces report on the delivery of their respective actions.
» The Implementation Oversight Group [IOG] and the High Level Steering Board tasked to oversee and drive progress on the implementation of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces met prior to the finalisation of the Detailed Implementation Plan in November 2023, with the IOG also reviewing progress in April 2024.
» The External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces continues to monitor and report on progress of the Defence Forces on the delivery of actions on foot of the IRG Report and achieving the goal of cultural change.
