Vol. 418 No. 1
14 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Defence whether female Army officers are currently on overseas duties; and if he will make a statement on proposals recently put to the Chief of Staff in relation to female Army officers.
33 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Defence whether female Army officers are currently on overseas duties; and if he will make a statement on proposals recently put to the Chief of Staff in relation to female Army officers.
38 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence if it is planned to clearly define the role of non-combatant personnel in the Defence Forces, especially in regard to its application to female personnel, as its application at present precludes women from advancing their careers in approximately 8 per cent of the available career structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
56 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Defence the plans which exist to extend the role of women, in the Army; and if he intends lifting existing restrictions.
70 Mr. Taylor asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the number of women serving at present in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
73 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence if he will respond to the views expressed by PDFORRA in the December issue of their newsletter regarding discrimination in work and career opportunities for women recruits in the Defence Forces; if he intends to take steps to introduce equality at all levels between male and female recruits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 33, 38, 56, 70 and 73 together.
The exact same words are used in many of the questions on the Order Paper.
That is a coincidence.
Perhaps the Deputy was distributing largesse.
Four women, including one officer, are at present serving overseas. On 29 February 1992 the number of women in the Permanent Defence Forces was 111.
In recent times both the role and number of women in the Defence Forces have been expanded and it is my intention that this process will continue. In 1991, for the first time women are eligible to apply for apprenticeships in both the Army and Air Corps Apprentice Schools and they also became eligible for enlistment in the FCA. This year's competition for Air Corps cadetships will for the first time be open to female applicants.
A board recently examined the entire question of the employment of women in the Defence Forces. All aspects of their service in the forces, including the question of the expansion of their role, were considered. The report of this board has just been finalised and is under active consideration.
Is the Minister in a position to tell the House what is contained in the report on the role of women in the Defence Forces which has been completed? Is he aware that the present system works against women going on overseas duties due to the restriction on their role in the Army and that as a result they are being discriminated against? Will he have this matter examined and not leave the report on the table of the Chief of Staff or, indeed, on his own but act on it as a matter of urgency?
It has not yet reached my desk but I will give it full consideration when it does.
In relation to the board the Minister spoke about, would he advise the House who established it and who the members were? Did the employment Equality Agency have any role to play on the board? The Minister advised us that for the first time in 1991 women were eligible to apply for apprenticeships. Will he tell us how many women applied for apprenticeships and how many applied to join An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil?
The Deputy is seeking a great deal of information which would require separate questions.
I have not got statistics with me. I answered the question as it was put to me but I will be only too willing to supply the statistics to the Deputy. There were 250 applications for apprenticeships.
The information is there if the Minister would only read his brief.
I have read the brief already and I will not be taking instructions from the Deputy as to how to read my brief.
With regard to the board which was appointed, who were members of it and who established it?
I do not have those details.
That seems to be a separate matter.
It is not.
I decide these matters, Deputy.
Do you mind if we say a word about it?
It is a separate question.
We are dealing here with the general policy of recruitment of women to the Defence Forces. My supplementary questions relate directly to the information the Minister has given us.
It is detail requiring a separate question, Deputy.
If supplementary questions are to mean anything we are surely entitled to question the Minister further on the information he has imparted to the House.
I have indicated to the Deputy what he should do in the matter.
You are not being very fair.
Is the Minister aware, given the restriction on the role of female officers and soldiers, that at present only one woman is on duty in Border areas? Does he consider this satisfactory?
As the Deputy knows, I have a special interest in the Border areas——
The Minister has very little interest in women.
The Deputy would be surprised on that one, too.
Women in the Defence Forces, that is.
Even those, yes. Bíonn gach tosnú lag mar a deireann siad, agus nílmid ach ag tosnú. The Army have committed themselves to the development of the role of women. The number of officers, cadets, NCOs and privates has been increased, from a small number admittedly but percentage wise substantially. As the House knows, 200 women were recruited into An Fóras Cosanta Áitiúil in 1991 and we are continuing to develop the role of women in the Defence Forces.
