asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (a) the present conditions and terms of service of personnel of An Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil; (b) whether personnel of this force are liable for mobilisation in the event of an emergency; and (c) the average total number of hours training per year which such personnel undergo (officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, respectively).
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - An Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil.
Major de Valera
(a) Present conditions and terms of service in An Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil are set out in Defence Force Regulations R.5. Having regard to the difficulty of summarisation, I am making a copy of these regulations available to the Deputy.
(b) Members of An Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil are liable to be called out for permanent service in accordance with Section 221 of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Acts, 1923 to 1950, i.e., whenever the Government by proclamation has ordered that the Reserve shall be called out.
(c) Members of An Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil are required by regulations to attend a minimum of 24 training parades each of two hours' duration in each training year. Attendance at annual and overnight camps, field days and test mobilisations may be reckoned towards the attendance at training parades.
Regulations also provide that a member may, following his attestation, attend a course of basic training for a period not exceeding 30 days; for courses of training not exceeding 14 days in one year; and for other courses of instruction not exceeding in the case of an officer 365 days, and in the case of any other member 180 days in any period of five years.