Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Apr 1980

Vol. 320 No. 1

Written Answers. - FCA Personnel Payments

203.

Mr. Creed

asked the Minister for Defence (a) if he will give details of the payments made to FCA personnel, and the total payments made in each of the years 1970 to 1979 inclusive, (b) if travelling expenses are paid to members who use their cars for attending for duty, and the cost of such expenses in the same period, (c) the number of days of full-time training required by FCA members, and if a minimum attendance at part/time training is required to qualify for such a training period, (d) if such full-time training periods are used for special training or for general barracks duties and (e) the establishment strength of each corps in officers and men, and the actual strength of the FCA on 31 December in each of the years 1970 to 1979 inclusive.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Faulkner)

During periods of full-time training, members of An Fórsa receive pay at the rates applicable to personnel of the Permanent Defence Force of corresponding rank and service. In addition, gratuities on the following scale are payable to members who complete at least seven days' full-time training or instruction in a training year:

	Officers
	holding	Other	N.C.O's	Privates
	Senior	Officers
	Appointments
On completion of a continuous period of not	£	£	£	£
less than 14 days' full-time training or
instruction	74	49	39	29
On completion of a continuous period of seven
days' or more but less than 14 days' full-time
training or instruction	37	25	20	15

The total payments made to members of the FCA in each year since 1970 are as follows:

	£
1970	553,012
1971	596,171
1972	1,006,290
1973	1,017,794
1974	1,285,394
1975	2,173,646
1976	2,412,551
1977	2,633,507
1978	3,522,707
1979	4,473,033

Where the provision of official transport or the issue of a free travelling warrant is not practicable in the case of members reporting for duty standard travelling expenses are payable to members who use their private motor cars for the purpose.

The actual payments to members who made private arrangements to report for duty in each year since 1970 are as follows:

	£
1970	1,026
1971	975
1972	893
1973	780
1974	1,133
1975	1,147
1976	1,263
1977	1,807
1978	996
1979	1,214

Attendance at all forms of training in An Fórsa is on a voluntary basis. Only reservists on the effective strength of An Fórsa may attend training. In order to remain on the effective strength, members must attend at least 24 training parades, each of not less than two hours duration, or their equivalent in hours of training—for example, field days, weekend camps—in each training year.

As regards full-time training, members may, with their own consent, be required to attend on one occasion as soon as possible after enlistment for a course of basic training of not less than 14 and not more than 30 days. Thereafter, members may, with their own consent, be required to attend in each training year for a course of training of not less than seven and not more than 14 days. In addition, provision is made for attendances at full-time training for special purposes, such as potential officers' courses. Periods of full-time training are devoted as far as possible to training as such but members may be required to participate in normal barrack duties during such periods.

The establishments and strengths, by corps, of officers and men of An Fórsa as on the 31 December of each year from 1970 to 1979 are given in the appended statement.

Following is the statement:

An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil

A. ESTABLISHMENTS

	31 December 1970	31 December 1979
Corps	Officers	Other Ranks	Officers	Other Ranks
Infantry	677	15,724	653	15,026
Artillery	185	2,741	201	3,015
Cavalry	27	501	27	501
Engineers	21	666	21	666
Signals	18	342	18	342
Supply and Transport	24	363	24	363
Medical	48	684	48	684
Military Police	30	480	30	480

Note: The establishment of the F.C.A. remained unchanged from 1970 to 1979.

B. EFFECTIVE STRENGTHS

	31 December 1970	31 December 1971	31 December 1972
Corps	Officers	Other Ranks	Officers	Other Ranks	Officers	Other Ranks
Infantry	438	14,568	439	14,259	442	13,763
Artillery	110	2,023	112	1,884	113	1,791
Cavalry	21	406	19	353	19	402
Engineers	16	552	16	496	15	501
Signals	16	366	16	395	15	334
Supply and Transport	15	568	17	499	17	430
Medical	14	363	15	343	19	403
Military Police	18	568	19	523	20	559

	31 December 1973	31 December 1974	31 December 1975
Corps	Officers	Other Ranks	Officers	Other Ranks	Officers	Other Ranks
Infantry	441	12,964	426	12,584	400	13,001
Artillery	104	1,826	113	1,874	112	2,060
Cavalry	20	395	20	394	20	491
Engineers	14	451	13	411	14	433
Signals	13	265	13	273	13	345
Supply and Transport	15	385	14	393	14	435
Medical	17	384	17	395	17	438
Military Police	21	518	20	510	21	553

	31 December 1976	31 December 1977	31 December 1978	31 December 1979
		Other		Other		Other		Other
Corps	Officers	Ranks	Officers	Ranks	Officers	Ranks	Officers	Ranks
Infantry	397	13,042	390	13,571	413	14,252	432	14,313
Artillery	109	2,208	105	2,162	108	2,228	123	2,240
Cavalry	21	536	21	573	21	515	22	593
Engineers	13	538	12	551	12	585	10	498
Signals	12	368	13	387	13	345	15	386
Supply and Transport	15	471	14	489	18	538	15	503
Medical	15	517	14	531	16	517	15	518
Military Police	21	545	21	577	20	661	22	681