Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 3

Adjournment Debate. - Equal Opportunities in Defence Forces.

I am disappointed the Minister for Defence was unable to attend this debate but I am grateful for the attendance of the Minister for Education and Science.

Ministers in this Government have a universal catch cry when questioned on certain policies they have not addressed to date. It is that "a commitment has been given in An Action Programme for the Millennium". In this document, a commitment was given which echoed the promise of the Minister's pre-election manifesto to encourage the increased participation of women in the Defence Forces and to ensure the facilities necessary for their full participation. What does this mean?

On 5 November 1997, I raised the issue of the height requirement for entry into the Defence Forces during questions to the Minister for Defence. Traditionally, the height requirement was 5' 2" for males and females. This does not appear to have caused a problem as the vast majority of people interested in applying for a position were not excluded by this condition. Recently, the height requirement was raised to 5' 5". However, following representations to the Minister to revert to 5' 2" for women, he agreed to reduce the height requirement by 1" to 5' 4" while it remained 5' 5" for men.

Statistics from the Kilkenny health project show that the average height of males and females in the general Kilkenny area between the ages of 35 and 44 years is 5' 9" and 5' 4" respectively. Data given to me by Mr. Tony Watson of the University of Limerick shows that the average height of males and females in the UK is 5' 10" and 5' 4.5" respectively. While it is outside the Minister's control, it is important to note that the height entry requirement for the Garda Síochána is 5' 9" for males and 5' 4" for females.

On the basis of these statistics, there is blatant inequality between men and women with regard to entry into the Defence Forces, as a far greater percentage of women is excluded from applying. In reply to a parliamentary question which I put to the Minister on 10 March 1998 on this topic, the Minister said he was not in favour of any further reduction of the height requirement as it has been the experience of the training units that persons of shorter stature have difficulty carrying the bulk and weight of combat order equipment. However, strength is not related to height but to fat free body mass.

I am surprised that a Government which has an unprecedented number of Cabinet Ministers does not see fit to afford an equal opportunity to women to join the Defence Forces. Is it not ironic that the woman who is perhaps the greatest athlete this country has produced, Michelle Smith, would probably not meet the height requirement for the Defence Forces? I ask the Minister to examine this matter again. If he decides to make no further change, I am anxious that he give a credible explanation.

In a not unrelated area, I ask the Minister to consider increasing the upper age limit by a number of years for entry into the Defence Forces for members of the FCA.

I apologise for the inability of the Minister for Defence to attend this evening. The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for women in the Defence Forces and to the full participation of women in all aspects of Defence Forces activity, including operational and ceremonial duties.

Women are eligible for service in the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service and the Reserve Defence Force and to compete for all appointments on an equal basis and under the same general conditions as men. All female personnel undergo the same training and receive the same military education as their male counterparts. The basis of selection is suitability rather than gender and there are no gender quotas.

This has been the position since 1992. Prior to that, the role of women in the Defence Forces was confined to administrative and service support duties. A board established in 1991 to examine the role of women in the Defence Forces recommended the full participation of women in all aspects of Defence Forces activity, including operational work, and the full access of women to the military career educational system and to promotional opportunities. These recommendations were implemented in 1992.

The current position of women in the Defence Forces must, therefore, be judged against the fact that it has only developed fully over the past six years. Of the 11,474 serving members of the Permanent Defence Force, 241 are women; 219 of these are serving in the Army, eight in the Air Corps and 14 in the Naval Service.

While the number of women joining the Defence Forces is lower than the number of men, this reflects the much greater number of male applicants for entry to the Forces. This is borne out by the statistics for 1997, for example, when the applicants for general service enlistment were 86 per cent male as against 14 per cent female. On the other hand, it should be noted that the success rate for women was higher than that for men as 55 per cent of eligible female candidates were enlisted as against 49 per cent of eligible male candidates. Overall, 16 per cent of the personnel enlisted in 1997 were women.

Women are also recruited as cadets and apprentices. Women secured three of the 14 apprenticeship positions in 1997, which represented 29 per cent of the positions, although only 8 per cent of the applicants were female.

There were seven female cadets in 1997 while the percentage of female applicants was low at 15 per cent. Women have been serving in the Naval Service since 1995. Recruitment of women to An Slua Muirí commenced in December 1997. There are already 17 female members and further applications from females are currently being processed.

Recruitment to An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil is open to men and women on an equal basis since 1991. Female membership of the FCA at 3,100 represents over 20 per cent of the Force, a considerable achievement in such a short number of years.

To further encourage participation by women in the Defence Forces, it was recently decided to amend regulations to provide that the minimum height requirement for females be reduced from 5' 5" to 5' 4" to take account of the natural height difference between males and females. A greater reduction in the height requirement for females is not possible owing to the fact that persons of smaller stature might experience difficulties with the bulk and weight of combat equipment. The height for males remains unchanged at 5' 5".

Promotional material for recruitment to the Defence Forces is targeted at females and males on an equal basis and is forwarded to all secondary schools. In fact, the promotional video issued to schools recently focuses largely on a young female recruit.

The Minister is satisfied that women are not discriminated against in any way in recruitment, in participation in the full range of military duties, education courses and training courses or in promotion.

Top
Share