Written Answers. - Defence Forces Strength.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
77
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Defence
the number of officers who have taken early retirement in each of the past five years; the steps he is taking to end the haemorrhage of officers from the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28696/00]
The tables which I propose to circulate in the Official Report indicate the numbers of officers who have left the Defence Forces as at 30 June 2000, the most recent date for which such figures are currently available from the military authorities.
As one might reasonably expect, members of the Permanent Defence Force, across all ranks, take up offers of civilian employment in times of economic prosperity.
While this would also apply to some extent to certain other categories of public sector employees, there are two quite distinctive factors which specifically impinge upon the general PDF situation. First, the PDF pension schemes are among the most generous within the Public Service. An officer, such as an Army Captain or Commandant, may retire from the PDF in his or her late thirties and immediately receive a military pension along with a retirement lump sum.
Second, it is widely recognised, not least by private sector employers, that the programmes of personal development and training available in the Defence Forces are second to none and can stand comparison with the best in the private sector. Many military personnel, in all ranks, are increasingly educated to diploma, degree and indeed to post-graduate degree level in readily marketable specialisms. Obviously, such personnel, already pre-trained and well experienced to the highest levels, are a tempting target to the private sector.
The military authorities are aware of such individual personnel being actively head-hunted by private sector employers.
Leaving aside the temporary and once off nature of the former voluntary early retirement scheme, under the Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan, DFRIP, over the years 1996-98, it should be noted that the demographic age structure within the PDF is such that a considerable number of personnel, whether serving as commissioned officers or as other ranks, are now at a stage in their careers when they can retire and thus avail of the terms of their respective statutory pension and lump sum entitlements, on the basis of accumulated years of past service. The fact that this phenomenon coincides with an unprecedented degree of economic prosperity and employment opportunity in the private labour market will continue to challenge the senior management of the Defence Forces for some years to come.
The annual cadetship competition continues to attract an excellent field of young people, both school leavers and some graduates. Overall the Defence Forces are attracting sufficient candidates of the calibre required for the demanding and intensive training required of young entrants who aspire to become commissioned officers. There are also internal competitions from time to time which allow enlisted personnel to be commissioned from the ranks. Some particular specialist officers may be sourced by direct entry public competitions.
