Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 4

Written Answers. - Air Corps Recruitment.

Jack Wall

Question:

216 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the number of pilots who have left the Air Corps for each of the past five years; the number in the Air Corps; whether this number is compatible with the required amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23120/01]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

The number of pilots who have left the Air Corps and the number of pilots who have been awarded their "Wings", in the last five years is as follows:

	Retirements	Awarded “Wings”
1996	9 pilots	6
1997	10 pilots	8
1998	12 pilots	7
1999	6 pilots†	7
2000	5 pilots	11
2001	4 pilots*	8#

*Includes one pilot due to retire later this month.

†Does not include the tragic deaths of two pilot officers in service.

#Due to be awarded "Wings" in November 2001.

There are 86 pilots in the Air Corps at present. No officer has either been refused permission to retire or had a requested retirement date deferred in recent years. The decline in the number of retirement applications, combined with the introduction of a targeted service commitment scheme, has brought a degree of stability to the position as regards pilot availability to meet the operational requirements of the Air Corps.