Vol. 545 No. 4
31 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the steps being taken to address the concerns raised at the recent annual conference of RACO that the Defence Forces were experiencing serious difficulties in retaining well qualified young officers; the number of officers who took early retirement or bought themselves out in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter [30640/01]
154 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the steps being taken to address the concerns raised at the recent annual conference of RACO that the Defence Forces were experiencing serious difficulties in holding on to well qualified young officers; if he will state in respect of each of the past five years the number of officers who took early retirement or bought themselves out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30547/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 154 together.
The number of officers who retired or resigned from the Permanent Defence Force in the past five years is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. Commissioned officers may leave the Defence Forces by voluntary retirement or resignation of their commissions. 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 trend 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 position.
First, the PDF pension schemes are among the most generous within the public service. In the case of commissioned officers, a pension is payable immediately with a lump sum after the completion of only 12 years military service. For example, 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 for life with a retirement lump sum. While exact amounts would, of course, vary by rank and service in individual cases, typical cases at commandant level could attract a pension of about £17,000 – 21,586 – per annum for life linked to future movements in commandants' pay, and a tax free gratuity of about £27,000 – 34,283.
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. Nowadays, military skills training encompasses a very broad range of well recognised courses of training in highly marketable specialisms such as computer software and information technology. Many military personnel in all ranks are increasingly educated to diploma, degree and postgraduate degree level in such readily marketable specialisms. Obviously such personnel, already pre-trained and well experienced to the highest levels, are a tempting target to the private sector. In addition, the unique leadership and management skills of military officers have made them a very attractive target for managerial recruitment.
The majority of officer retirements are currently voluntary in so far as they are not compulsorily determined by the reaching of a prescribed maximum retirement age by the incumbent. Relatively few officers stay in the PDF for the maximum period possible, that is, to their prescribed retirement age in rank, nor would this be desirable. The positive features of turnover within officer ranks and the consequential flow of promotions for younger officers must be actively borne in mind.
Additional information.The prestigious annual cadetship competition continues to draw an applicant pool of well educated and academically talented school leavers as clearly evidenced by the leaving certificate results of applicants for the 2001 competition. There were 732 individual applicants for the 2001 cadetship competition which resulted in a total of 64 successful applicants being awarded cadetships.
To date in 2001, 13 successful candidates have already been appointed as direct entry officers to the Defence Forces comprising seven engineer officers, three medical officers, two watchkeeping officers and one marine engineer officer. Four aeronautical engineer officers are due to be appointed on 10 December next.
Competitions for the appointment of engineer officers in the ordnance corps, electrical engineer officers in the Naval Service and medical and dental officers in the medical corps will be advertised shortly. The annual cadetship competition will be advertised early next year. The military authorities, which have responsibility for recruitment, advise that the development of a comprehensive cross-media recruitment advertising campaign to be launched in early 2002 is well advanced. This will strongly contribute to raising public awareness of the range of high quality careers in the Defence Forces, including the full range of officer careers.
As I indicated at the RACO conference in November, there is a need for the Defence Forces to retain highly trained and experienced captains and commandants. However, the attribution of the loss of young officers only to a relative lack of perceived personal challenge and rewards in their military careers presents a very distorted and partial element of a more complex picture.
There are many other contributory factors. Two aspects that immediately come to mind are the lack of opportunity for rapid career advancement for the most talented and able young officers and, as I have already mentioned, the very attractive lump sum and pension arrange ments available for departing officers. In recent years there have been great opportunities in the burgeoning private sector for such well qualified and highly motivated personnel.
I stated at last year's RACO annual delegate conference and remain convinced that the Gleeson commission's recommendation that a mechanism be developed under which officers of exceptional ability might expect to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel while still in their 30s would help to reduce the loss to the private sector of at least some of the most experienced officers with skills that are in demand.
While there have been a total of 137 officer promotions in 2001, a merit-based promotion scheme that will enable the best and brightest young officers to progress swiftly up the ranks is necessary, and it is my sincere hope RACO will work with the official side to devise a scheme that meets this objective. The planned review next year of the 1997 promotion agreement will provide an opportunity to address these issues.
As set out in the White Paper on Defence, the Government decided that an updated integrated Defence Forces personnel management plan was to be prepared by military management as a matter of priority. This plan is to set down policies and goals to ensure personnel policies and practices keep pace with the current best practice to the benefit of the Defence Forces. The proposed integrated personnel management plan will address the issues raised by the Deputy and establish a comprehensive intake policy and active personnel management framework to address the Defence Forces' officer requirements in the coming decade. I am conscious that the shortage of junior officers in the Defence Forces is causing some difficulties. This matter requires a creative, dynamic and innovative response. Among the initiatives which must be examined in this context are graduate recruitment, short service commissions and a much more active programme of commissioning from the ranks. I am sure these will be addressed in the integrated personnel management plan which the Chief of Staff is preparing for my consideration.
Retirements-Resignations from the Permanent Defence Force
Officers – 1997
|
Lt.Gen. |
Maj.Gen. |
Brig.Gen |
Colonel |
Lt.Colonel |
Comdt. |
Captain |
Lt. |
Total |
|
|
*Voluntary Early Retirement |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
36 |
30 |
0 |
69 |
|
Death |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Resignation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Retirement (Voluntary-non VER) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
30 |
0 |
40 |
|
Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
45 |
61 |
0 |
111 |
|
Retirement Age Grounds |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
|
Overall Total |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
17 |
45 |
61 |
0 |
127 |
*Voluntary early retirement scheme (VER) available in years 1996-98, inclusive.
Officers – 1998
|
Lt.Gen. |
Maj.Gen. |
Brig.Gen |
Colonel |
Lt.Colonel |
Comdt. |
Captain |
Lt. |
Total |
|
|
*Voluntary Early Retirement |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Death |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Retirement (Voluntary-non VER) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
16 |
47 |
0 |
67 |
|
Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
17 |
47 |
0 |
69 |
|
Retirement Age Grounds |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
21 |
|
Overall Total |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
7 |
24 |
48 |
0 |
90 |
*Voluntary early retirement scheme (VER) available in years 1996-98, inclusive.
Officers – 1999
|
Lt.Gen. |
Maj.Gen. |
Brig.Gen |
Colonel |
Lt.Colonel |
Comdt. |
Captain |
Lt. |
Total |
|
|
Death |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
|
Resignation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
|
Retirement (Voluntary) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
20 |
35 |
1 |
65 |
|
Total |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
21 |
37 |
5 |
72 |
|
Retirement Age Grounds |
0 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
12 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
33 |
|
Overall Total |
0 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
18 |
32 |
38 |
5 |
105 |
Officers – 2000
|
Lt.Gen. |
Maj.Gen. |
Brig.Gen |
Colonel |
Lt.Colonel |
Comdt. |
Captain |
Lt. |
Total |
|
|
Death |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
Resignation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
|
Retirement (Voluntary) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
25 |
26 |
2 |
55 |
|
Total |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
26 |
27 |
6 |
62 |
|
Retirement Age Grounds |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
15 |
|
Overall Total |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
8 |
29 |
28 |
6 |
77 |
Officers – 2001 to 30 November, 2001
|
Lt.Gen. |
Maj.Gen. |
Brig.Gen |
Colonel |
Lt.Colonel |
Comdt. |
Captain |
Lt. |
Total |
|
|
Death |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Resignation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Retirement (Voluntary) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
26 |
21 |
0 |
53 |
|
Total |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
26 |
21 |
1 |
54 |
|
Retirement Age Grounds |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
18 |
|
Overall Total |
0 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
9 |
32 |
22 |
1 |
72 |
Mr. Wall: I thank the Minister for his very detailed reply. A recent newspaper stated there was a 63% vacancy rate within Naval Service engineers. Does this endanger the services provided by the Navy in respect of fishery protection and smuggling, given the high number of detections of drugs by the Garda? Is the apparent inability to fill these positions in the Naval Ser vice undermining the work of the Garda? Will the Minister examine the possibility of upgrading NCOs to fill these positions? The position in the Naval Service differs from that of the Army or Air Corps, given that the vacancy rate for Army engineers is 17% which seems out of sync with the 63% vacancy rate among Naval Service engineers.
Regarding the cadet competition, there were 732 highly motivated and qualified applicants and 63 were recruited, which was the number required. In general, the number of people applying for existing posts under ongoing recruitment mechanisms is substantial. We will be in a position to fill the total number of posts we wished to fill this year. However, Deputy Wall is correct that there are difficulties with regard to some specialties. In 2001, some 13 successful candidates were appointed as direct entry officers to the Defence Forces. Seven engineer officers, three medical officers, two watchkeeper officers, one marine engineer officer and four aeronautical engineer officers are due to be appointed in December.
The flag officer of the Naval Service and the military authorities in general are anxious to consider every option regarding the recruitment of specialty officers, including seeking such officers abroad. However, despite the reduced numbers, the flag officer reported that the Naval Service is managing very well. A major contribution in that regard was the acquisition of two new ships. The technology on those ships means the training and numbers required are lower than on the older fleet. Nevertheless, constant effort is necessary because competition from the private sector is intense with regard to the specialty areas. Some people with very good skills are lost and we would prefer to keep them. Ongoing efforts must be made to maintain the services at the highest level. However, there is no danger that any of the usual activities undertaken by the Naval Service are being jeopardised.
The Minister referred to the private sector. Has any research or assessment been carried out on personnel who have taken early retirement or is it accepted that they have moved on to greener pastures in the private sector?
As in every area, there is not only one factor. I mentioned the attractive pensions and other opportunities in the private sector for computer software engineers and experts in the technology area generally. There have been discussions about the possibility of devising a promotional scheme to ensure earlier promotion for young officers. We are working in consultation with the representative association to devise a programme under which earlier promotion opportunities might encourage some of the better and more skilled officers to stay.
If that programme had been in place, perhaps some Members would not be here now.
I was tempted to say that to Deputy Timmins earlier. I resisted saying it but I am glad Deputy Wall said it.
