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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Jun 1985

Vol. 359 No. 10

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Female Membership of Defence Force.

12.

asked the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied with the present level of female membership of the Defence Force; if there are any plans to recruit additional women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The strength of the Permanent Defence Force is determined from time to time in the light of military requirements and does not differentiate between male and female members.

Because of the non-combatant role of female personnel, the enlistment of recruits for general service has had to be confined to male personnel in recent times. The question of recruiting additional female personnel is reviewed periodically in the light of current strengths and commitments.

The Minister has repeated an answer to a question I raised last year.

That does not make it any less valid.

Probably not, but does this indicate that no thought has been given to this matter since then and that there is still no specific plan or target for the recruitment of women to the Defence Force? It seems that it is a cosmetic exercise that women are to be recruited to the Army but no more are wanted at the moment. Is that policy to continue for the next number of years?

That is not so and Deputy Mac Giolla is attempting to put words into my mouth. I repeat again that the question of recruiting additional female personnel is reviewed periodically in the light of current strengths and commitments. This is kept under review on a continuing basis in the light of our needs and current strengths. Recruiting is restricted because of financial constraints and because of these restrictions recruiting has to be confined to male recruits. Because females do not have a combatant role that restricts the duties they can perform. In times of scarce manpower resources we have to make the maximum use of the manpower available to us, and this inhibits the recruiting of female personnel at the moment. Hopefully this situation will change in the near future.

Is it not a fact that 300 were——

Is the Minister saying that no females are required or need apply in 1985? If so, is that not contrary to the employment equality legislation?

I am not saying that. Female personnel may apply and we would welcome their applications, but we are not recruiting them at the moment. When recruitment of female personnel opens again, they will be on the list. The Employment Equality Act does not apply to the Defence Force.

I have a letter which I received from a constituent. It says——

Quotations are not in order at Question Time.

The letter from the Department of Defence to my constituent said that her application could not be considered in 1985 because recruitment is confined to males.

Do I take it that when the Deputy asked the question she already had the answer in a letter from my Department?

Yes. Does the Minister agree with that type of comment? Does he think that is equitable?

I repeat that the question of recruiting additional female personnel is reviewed periodically in the light of current strengths and commitments. Having regard to the current strength and the financial provision available for enlistment, we are not in a position to take on recruits who are non-combatants, which is what female personnel are, and consequently the number of roles they can perform is limited. This is a matter we keep under review and when the recruiting, the manpower and the strength positions ease, I will look forward to seeing further female personnel enlisting.

Would the Minister refer this to the Minister for Women's Affairs? She might have some comments to make on the lack of——

That is not a question, it is a statement.

Would the Minister not agree that rather than giving vague answers it would be much kinder to the girls waiting for a call if he told them this scheme has been abandoned and that the earlier excuses that they were anxious to provide separate sleeping and sanitary facilities in different Army barracks no longer hold good because, if you will excuse the pun, as far as the people in the know in the Curragh and elsewhere are concerned, the whole scheme has been "banjaxed".

I can assure the Deputy that the scheme has not been abandoned, in spite of the Deputy's attempt to present it as such.

I am going to the priority questions now. I call Question No. 13.

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