asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the embarrassment caused to NCOs on overseas duty who found that the duties performed by their opposite numbers in other armies carried a two to three times higher rank.
Written Answers. - Defence Forces Ranks Structure.
30.
I am not aware of any case of the type mentioned by the Deputy.
31.
asked the Minister for Defence if he has initiated an investigation into the noncommissioned rank structure of other European armies and if he has received any recommendations for upgrading of NCO ranks as a result of such investigation.
No investigation of this nature has been initiated nor is such an investigation deemed to be necessary. The organisation and structure of the Defence Forces are kept under constant review and where the upgrading of any appointment is deemed to be warranted the necessary action towards this end is taken.
32.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will clarify the statement made by his predecessor in the Dáil on 6 February 1979 to the effect that the rank structure in the Irish Army was roughly comparable to other European armies, and if so, if he will give some supporting evidence.
My predecessor's remarks were made as part of his reply to the debate on the Second Stage of the Defence (Amendment) Bill, 1978, the primary purpose of which was to make provision in the Defence Acts for the commissioned Army rank of brigadier-general. His statement, which was related to commissioned ranks, was to the effect that in nearly all ranks our Defence Forces equate to the ranks as they exist in most of the other western nations except in the case of commandant which is the equivalent of major in most other armies. This statement was based on information available in relation to various western, including European, countries, for instance, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Norway and the Netherlands.