asked the Minister for Defence if he will state, in relation to the newly-constituted Local Defence Force (a) whether a member, even though he has attested for a period of five years or longer, may resign from the force, of his own volition, at any time prior to the expiry of his period of attestation; (b) whether members, whose occupation may require them to leave the country for periods, e.g., migratory labourers, will be free to leave this country, if they so require, without hindrance arising out of their being members of the force, and (c) whether such members, if they so desire, will be automatically reinstated in the force, on their return to this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Defence Force.
I shall avail of the occasion of the Deputy's question to outline, very briefly, the arrangements regarding the Local Defence Force which have now been completed to give effect to the scheme which I outlined in a general way in a statement in the House on the 11th October last.
Defence Force Regulations will be issued very shortly setting up, under the Defence Forces Acts, as a part of the Reserve and as from a current date a body to be known as the Local Defence Force. The Government has, by Emergency Powers Order, altered the name of the present force with effect from the 1st instant to that of "The Local Defence Force, 1941 to 1946" and provided for the revocation of the Emergency Powers Order under which it is constituted with effect from the 1st April next. This arrangement in effect means that there will be two forces, the new—The Local Defence Force—and the old— The Local Defence Force, 1941 to 1946 —existing for approximately two months concurrently until the 1st April next when the old force will cease to exist. Such an arrangement is necessary in order to facilitate the setting up of the new force and the recruitment into it of members of the old organisation who wish to continue.
Certain members of the old force who held appointments of officer status therein up to the 1st November last and who have been approved by selection boards which have been operating for some time past, will be commissioned in the Reserve of Officers to serve in the new organisation. Prospective members for other than commissioned ranks will be required to enlist for a period of five years.
The officers, in common with all other commissioned personnel of the Defence Forces, will have the right to tender the resignation of their commissions to the President but no machinery for resignation has been provided for other ranks. I would like to make it clear, however, that training in the force is entirely voluntary; that there is no compulsion on a member to attend parades or annual camps and that provision is being made for the discharge, at the discretion of the officer commanding the command concerned, of a member who applies for discharge on compassionate grounds. Where a member who, without reasonable excuse, fails to attend the necessary number of parades, which consists of 24 parades of two hours' duration each, per year, his name merely will be placed on what will be called a noneffective list and he will be struck off the strength of his unit. Unless he applies to have his name removed from that list to become again an active member—which request may be granted—no further action will be provided for. In the event, however, of circumstances arising which would necessitate the calling out of the Reserve on permanent service, he would be liable to be so called out.
Provision has also been made in the regulations for the granting of permission to personnel to reside outside the country for periods, in the case of officers, up to nine months at a time, and, in the case of non-commissioned officers and men, up to six months at a time. On return within these periods no question of reinstatement would arise, as the membership of the force of the individual concerned would not meanwhile have been affected. The Deputy may take it that it will be the policy to facilitate as far as possible members who may find it necessary to leave the country for seasonal employment.
I would like also to say that members of the old force who do not become members of the new organisation will be allowed to retain the boots and ground sheets issued to them as members. It will be necessary, however, for them to return all other articles of uniform, as it would be contrary to the best interests of the new force that there should be any possibility of the wearing in public of its uniform by persons who were not members and over whom no control in the matter could be exercised. All concerned will, I am sure, in the circumstances, appreciate the necessity for this decision.
Details of the conditions of enlistment and service in the new force are set out in the appropriate Defence Force regulation, copies of which will be laid on the Table of the House in due course.