Press release
Increase in patrol duty allowance for the Naval Service
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Mícheál Martin today announced that the Patrol Duty Allowance paid to Naval Service personnel will be doubled after ten days at sea.
This measure will take effect from 1 January 2024.
Announcing the measure, the Tánaiste said:
“I very much welcome this new measure, which provides greater clarity on the overall package available to our Naval Service personnel and potential recruits.
“The challenges facing the Naval Service and the wider organisation are well documented, but the commitment, courage and excellence of our serving members is clear, as recently demonstrated in the recent detention of the cargo vessel MV Matthew.
“This is part of our ongoing investment in our Defence Forces; in its people, infrastructure, capabilities and culture.”
The changes will simplify the existing Naval Service measures by consolidating the daily allowance and the sea-going commitment scheme into one allowance. This is in line with the Commission on Defence Forces recommendation to replace existing sea-going allowances with less complex measures.
Separately, the Tánaiste has welcomed the inclusion of the naval personnel tax credit in the Finance Bill for 2024 for one further year, as a further retention measure.
He also expressed his thanks to his colleague, Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohue, and to officials in his department for their assistance in progressing this measure.
Patrol Duty Allowance is payable to all personnel serving aboard ship on duty, that is, for each day spent on patrol which last an average of 20 days at a time.
The current daily rate of the patrol duty allowance for naval service personnel (for example, for an Officer €64.67, for an enlisted person €64.27) from day 1 – day 10 will be maintained.
Thereafter, the daily rate of the allowance will be doubled (for example, to €129.24 for an Officer, and €128.54 for an enlisted person) from day 11 up to the maximum number of sea-going days that can be served in a calendar year.
On current rates of PDA, enlisted person serving the recommended maximum of 165 days at sea, could earn €10,600 Patrol Duty Allowance, plus €5,000 sea going service commitment scheme per annum, plus a tax credit of €1,500. The changes to the seagoing allowances will provide €20,565 for the period.
This is in addition to basic pay and military service allowance (MSA), which for a newly enlisted able seaman, amounts to €38,016 on completion of training, bringing potential annual earnings to €58,580.
A school leaver Cadet on commissioning is paid €41,962. After two years they are promoted to lieutenant and their pay rises to €47,245. Where a graduate joins their pay rate on commissioning begins at €47,245.
For such officers they will receive an additional €20,570 if they serve 165 days at sea in a calendar year.
The sea-going commitment scheme will be abolished from end-2023.
The naval personnel tax credit has been included in the Finance Bill for 2024 and will be available for one further year for NS personnel.