Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 1991

Vol. 412 No. 1

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Statistics.

Michael Bell

Question:

171 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the average strength of the various elements of the Permanent Defence Force in the period 1986 to 1991; the annual expenditure as between pay, allowances, and other significant headings in the same period; and the expenditure on the Defence Forces in the same period as a percentage of Gross National Product and its relationship to the EC and UN averages.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Daly)

The details requested are as follows:

1. Average Strength of the Permanent Defence Force 1986 to 1991

	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991 to 30/9/91
Army	12,200	11,574	11,620	11,286	11,428	11,274
Air Corps	864	815	808	820	838	867
Naval Service	924	873	854	931	962	999
Totals	13,988	13,262	13,282	13,037	13,228	13,140

2. Vote For Defence — Expenditure 1986 to 1991 (£ millions)

(Excluding Vote for Army Pensions)

	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991 (Allocation)
Pay and Allowances	195.5	196.4	200.0	215.7	249.4	270.0
Other	76.8	64.7	72.9	57.6	69.0	63.5
Gross Total	272.3	261.1	272.9	273.3	318.4	333.5
Expenditure as % of GNP	1.62	1.44	1.44	1.31	1.41	1.40
						(Projected)

3. Defence Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP

	1989	1990
	%	%
Ireland	1.28	1.28
EC Average	2.67	2.66
UN Average	Not available

Comparable figures for Gross National Product are not readily available.

Michael Bell

Question:

172 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline, in respect of the Permanent Defence Force, the number of personnel, by officers, NCOs and men, assigned to the FCA and Slua Muirí as at 30 November 1990, by general staff, command and corps; the current position regarding same; the number of attached permanent defence officers who were returned to their units; and if he will make a statement on the 25 per cent Permanent Defence Force cutback.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Daly)

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement I propose to circulate it in the Official Report. Forty officers of the Permanent Defence Force who had been employed with the FCA on a part-time basis were withdrawn from such duties with effect from 1 September 1991.

1. PDF Personnel Assigned to the FCA/Slua Muirí on 30 November 1990.

	Col.	Lt. Col.	Comdt.	Capt.	Lt.	BSM.	BQMS.	CS.	CQMS.	Sgt.	Cpl.	Pte.	Total
Command
Eastern	1	—	14	7	—	—	—	1	33	29	38	39	162
Southern	1	1	16	21	—	—	—	1	53	41	67	68	269
Western	1	1	18	15	—	—	—	1	47	37	57	65	242
Curragh	—	—	6	4	—	—	—	1	18	11	24	27	91
Naval Service	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	6	—	7	—	4	19
Total	3	2	54	49	—	—	—	10	151	125	186	203	783
Corps
Staff	3	2	15	5	—	—	—	4	4	14	8	8	63
Infantry	—	—	18	27	—	—	—	—	99	48	129	111	432
Artillery	—	—	6	6	—	—	—	—	20	16	22	35	105
Cavalry	—	—	3	1	—	—	—	—	3	7	8	5	27
Engineer	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	4	10	3	6	24
Signals	—	—	2	1	—	—	—	—	3	5	6	6	23
Supply & Transport	—	—	3	3	—	—	—	—	6	8	10	18	48
Military Police	—	—	5	—	—	—	—	—	7	6	—	6	24
Medical	—	—	2	3	—	—	—	—	5	4	—	4	18
Naval Service	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	6	—	7	—	4	19

1. PDF Personnel Assigned to the FCA/Slua Muirí on 30 September, 1991.

	Col.	Lt. Col.	Comdt.	Capt.	Lt.	BSM.	BQMS.	cs.	CQMS.	Sgt.	Cpl.	Pte.	Total
Command
Eastern	—	1	14	9	—	—	—	1	34	28	40	36	163
Southern	—	1	18	18	—	—	—	1	52	43	65	69	267
Western	1	1	17	18	—	—	—	1	47	37	57	62	241
Curragh	—	1	6	4	—	—	—	1	16	11	23	25	87
Naval Service	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	5	—	8	—	4	19
Total	1	4	55	51	—	—	—	9	149	127	185	196	777
Corps
Staff	1	4	14	5	—	—	—	4	4	14	8	8	62
Infantry	—	—	18	27	—	—	—	—	98	48	127	107	425
Artillery	—	—	6	6	—	—	—	—	21	16	22	34	105
Cavalry	—	—	3	2	—	—	—	—	3	7	9	4	28
Engineer	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	4	10	3	6	25
Signals	—	—	2	2	—	—	—	—	3	5	6	5	23
Supply & Transport	—	—	3	3	—	—	—	—	6	8	10	18	48
Military Police	—	—	6	—	—	—	—	—	5	6	—	6	23
Medical	—	—	3	2	—	—	—	—	5	5	—	4	19
Naval Service	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	5	—	8	—	4	19