Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Jun 1994

Vol. 444 No. 3

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Recruitment.

Noel Ahern

Question:

72 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Defence the preferential treatment, if any, that was given to applicants in the general recruitment for the Defence Forces, who were notified of their success in the previous recruitment campaign in 1990, resigned their jobs but were not recruited due to the remaining intake being deferred; his views on whether he has an obligation to recruit these candidates at this stage; the number involved; the number who were still eligible and did apply; and the number who were not yet appointed.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Andrews)

The position in relation to the 1990 recruitment competition is that no offer of appointment was withdrawn unless a candidate had become ineligible for enlistment, e.g. on medical or age grounds. There was no valid reason any candidate who had not received an offer of appointment should have resigned from his/her civilian employment.

Apart from the favourable consideration given to members of the FCÁ, all applications in the recent recruitment competition for enlistment in the Permanent Defence Forces were considered on an equal basis. The newspaper advertisements seeking applications clearly indicated that persons who had applied previously should reapply if they still wished to be considered for enlistment.

The statistical information requested regarding candidates in the 1990 recruitment competition is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate expenditure of official time.