Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 1

Written Answers. - Ratings for Army Officers.

Michael Bell

Question:

219 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the general ratings for officers of the Permanent Defence Force; the number of officers who were not rated in the last reporting year and the reporting year concerned; the definitions of the various ratings; the numbers and percentages in respect of officers who received the various categories of ratings and whether he has satisfied himself as to the current format of evaluation.[3274/95]

Minister for Defence (Mr. Coveney)

Paragraph 44 of Defence Force Regulations A.15 provides that for the purpose of completing an officer's annual confidential report one of the following ratings shall be awarded:—

OUTSTANDING

ABOVE AVERAGE

AVERAGE

UP TO THE MINIMUM STANDARD

REQUIRED

UNSATISFACTORY

The latest year for which statistics are available is 1993. Annual confidential reports for that year have not yet been submitted in respect of 146 officers out of a total of 1,578 officers. In addition a number of officers have not been awarded ratings for various reasons, the main reason being that either the subject officer or the reporting officer had insufficient service in their respective appointments.

Details of the number of officers who have been awarded each category of rating for 1993 are as follows:—

OUTSTANDING	78 (6%)
ABOVE AVERAGE	852 (70%)
AVERAGE	228 (18%)
SATISFACTORY	76 (6%)

Detailed guidance instructions on the compilation of annual confidential reports have been drawn up by the military authorities and are available to all officers.