asked the Minister for Defence if he will arrange a more vigorous recruiting campaign for the FCA and a programme of training to attract and cater for unemployed school leavers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - FCA Recruitment.
16.
Recruitment to An Foras Cosanta Áitiúil is a continuing process and no special measures are considered necessary. The present programme of training is regarded as suitable.
Does the Minister not agree that he is now afforded an opportunity to harness the idealism and patriotism of thousands of unemployed school leavers and that he might arrange a programme of summer camp training which might not normally be available to people who were not members of the FCA for a considerable period? Does he not think this worth examining?
We have a programme of summer camp training and consider that it is a pretty full programme. You cannot take in people today and send them on camp tomorrow. They should, to some extent, first prove their interest in the FCA and prove their patriotism before they are sent on camp. I think the present situation is satisfactory. The numbers are large. The effective strength on 31st May, 1976, was 17,987 while on 31st May, 1975, it was only 17,504. Also, we have 426 members of the FCA employed fulltime on security duties with the permanent Defence Forces. We are in the process of examining the organisation of the FCA. Whether there will be a decision to make changes when the military authorities have completed their investigation I cannot say because I have not yet got the report. When I get it, I shall certainly consider it.
Would the Minister not consider taking a chance and have a little more trust in the patriotism of young school leavers and allow them into the FCA——
This is repetition.
Could he have something in the nature of a crash programme for summer camps and an extension of the period normally laid down for summer camps? It might absorb some of these people and be a very worth-while exercise.
I do not accept that any normal school leaver is excluded from the FCA or from the summer camp. The present situation is reasonably satisfactory. As I have said, an investigation is proceeding and when I have the report from the military authorities we may make changes in the FCA.