Brendan Smith
Question:21 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Defence the proposals, if any, he has to allocate additional personnel to the Defence Forces in the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3414/97]
Written Answers. - Defence Forces Deployment.
Mary Harney
Question:28 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Defence the reason for releasing experienced commissioned officers from service and having to take student officers from their studies as stopgaps on onerous duties in Border areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3643/97]
Dermot Ahern
Question:29 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the scheme designed to divert army officers from university duties to man Border posts at weekends in view of the shortage of personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3612/97]
Michael Bell
Question:273 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel in the Defence Forces who are temporarily assigned to the Border area in respect of the BSE crisis; and the amount expended in allowances to such personnel since this operation commenced. [3453/97]
Dermot Ahern
Question:286 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the scheme designed to divert army officers from university duties to man Border posts at week-ends in view of the shortage of personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3612/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 28, 29, 273 and 286 together.
The current recruitment drive to the Defence Forces envisages the recruitment of 600 personnel between December 1996 and the middle of 1997. It is not possible to say at this stage how many of these recruits will be allocated to the Border area, but the Deputy may be assured that the operational requirements of the Defence Forces in the Border area will be a priority when a decision is being made as to the deployment of these recruits.
Arising out of increased operational commitments in the Border area it has recently been decided to provide assistance to officers rostered for Border duty by selecting for such duty a number of officers who are attending university. However, any such officer selected for Border duty will be required to complete only two Saturday weekend duties over a six month period.
Since April 1996, additional personnel have been assigned to the Border area from time to time as necessary to assist with the BSE crisis. It is not the practice for security reasons to indicate the numbers of personnel deployed for particular operations.
The amount expended in allownces to these additional personnel since the operation commenced is £50,164.67.