asked the Minister for Defence if he will state, in relation to the recently constituted Army Selection Board, held for the purpose of recommending officers for appointment to the Regular Army: (a) the terms of reference of the board; (b) the lowest medical grades stipulated by the board and, if this lowest grading was departed from in any case, the reasons for such departure; (c) the general standard of efficiency stipulated, and how this standard was arrived at; (d) the educational and other standards, if any, laid down by the board; and (e) whether the original figure of 600 officers to be selected, as set out in the White Paper on Demobilisation and Resettlement of Members of the Defence Forces, was departed from by the board; and, if so, to what extent and for what reasons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Selection Board.
(a) The Convening Order appointing a Board of Officers for the purpose of classifying officer applicants as to suitability for commissioning in Óglaigh na hÉireann (Permanent Force) directed that in making their recommendations the board would have regard to the undermentioned considerations in relation to each officer:—
(a) duties performed to date and standard of performance;
(b) standard of conduct and discipline, combined with industry, zeal and capacity for military employment;
(c) readiness at all times to serve where and as the service required;
(d) other specific qualifications considered essential in the military profession, and
(e) compliance with the provisions of Defence Force Regulations as to age and physical fitness.
(b) The board was not required to stipulate medical grading as only applicants whose medical grading was not lower than that specified in Defence Force Regulations were eligible for consideration for appointment to the Permanent Force.
(c) The general standard of efficiency stipulated was that required to ensure that an applicant was suitable for commissioning in his present rank or in the next lower rank. Suitability was assessed under five main headings:—(1) Personality; (2) intelligence; (3) military knowledge; (4) education; (5) potentialities.
(d) The educational standard required was a general education combined with intelligence which would fit the applicant to discharge the duties of at least the next higher rank and appointment with efficiency and to undergo satisfactorily courses of instruction for which he might be detailed.
(e) The board of officers was not directed to select any particular number of officers.
Is the Minister aware that there is very considerable dissatisfaction with the activities of the board and that a large number of officers are aggrieved? Will he say whether representations have been made to him by a number of officers, and, if so, whether he is considering these representations?
I am not considering any representations, because I know that every person who is not selected will naturally be dissatisfied.