Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Feb 2000

Vol. 514 No. 5

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Recruitment.

John V. Farrelly

Question:

82 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel recruited to the Defence Forces under his policy of continuous recruitment in each of the years from 1998 to date; the maximum strength of the Defence Forces in each of these years; the reason his policy failed to reach the numbers promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4612/00]

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

115 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel recruited to the Defence Forces under his policy of continuous recruitment in each of the years from 1998 to date; the maximum strength of the Defence Forces in each of these years; the reason his policy failed to reach the numbers promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4656/00]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 115 together.

A total of 613 general service recruits were enlisted in the Defence Forces in 1998 and a further 580 recruits were enlisted in 1999. The Government's target for recruitment as set out in the Action Programme for the Millennium was to recruit 1,500 personnel over four years. This target will be well exceeded. The maximum monthly strength of the Defence Forces in these years was 11,701 in 1998, and 11,339 in 1999. I cannot, therefore, accept the suggestion that the policy of continuous recruitment has somehow failed. All major employers, in both the private and public sectors, and including the Civil Service Commission and the Garda Síochána, are now experiencing a general decrease in the number of applicants coming forward in response to various public recruitment competitions. The Defence Forces are no exception, and cannot remain immune to such universal market trends, given the wide variety of employment and other personal development options, such as further education, which are available to the present day school leaver and job seeker.

However, it remains the case that, in general terms, the Defence Forces are still attracting more than a sufficient number of suitable candidates of the standard and calibre required for the filling of the general body of vacancies on offer.