All categories of applicant for enlistment in the Permanent Defence Force under the recent recruitment campaign were required to be under 22 years of age on 1 October 1996. The reduced upper age limit, which was introduced in 1996, follows specifically on the recommendation of the efficiency audit group and their consultants who recently completed a review of the organisation and structure of the Defence Forces.
The very unsatisfactory age profile of the members was identified by the efficiency audit group as one of the serious problems facing the Defence Forces. If the problem were to remain unaddressed a situation would be reached where the operational effectiveness of the force could be seriously compromised. Therefore, in order to address the age problem it is necessary to recruit persons in the younger age-group.