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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 3

Priority Questions. - Defence Forces Recruitment.

Billy Timmins

Question:

31 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence his plans to introduce an advertising campaign for recruitment to the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4898/02]

I launched the Defence Forces recruitment campaign yesterday. The main purpose of this two year campaign is to promote the role of the Defence Forces and to highlight the variety of rewarding career opportunities available in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. The cross-media campaign will include radio, press, television, cinema and Internet advertisements and will involve expenditure of up to €2.5 million over two years.

Following a tender competition conducted by the military authorities, the contract was awarded to Cawley Nea advertising agency in October last. A considerable amount of work was done in late 2001 in preparation for the campaign. A special project team was formed from the Defence Forces public relations and personnel sections to co-ordinate the campaign with the advertising agency. The joint project team visited many locations throughout the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service and also travelled to Kosovo and East Timor where Irish troops participate as part of international peace support missions mandated by the United Nations.

To date over €1.1 million has been spent in production and development costs. Advertising slots have been bought for appropriate advertising times, including during this year's World Cup competition. There has also been a comprehensive overhaul of all recruitment information literature and application booklets.

I have had the opportunity to visit many of the military barracks and posts and have seen at first hand the positive and morale boosting effect new recruits have on these installations. I am confident this campaign will be successful in encouraging many more young people to follow a career in the Defence Forces.

Is the Minister aware that the United Nations introduced an international ban yesterday on the use of child soldiers who are defined as children under 18? In light of this, has he any plans to change the recruitment age into the Defence Forces? Does the Minister also agree that the recruitment age of 17 may encourage people to leave school early? As a result of transition year, the age at which children leave school has increased recently. The recruitment age to the Defence Forces may be an incentive to children to leave the education system too early. How many recruits is it intended to take in and how many applications have there been to date? Is there a waiting list of people seeking entry to the Defence Forces?

As usual, Deputy Timmins gets the most out of a supplementary question. I will try to cover as much as I can. We expect in general enlistment to recruit about 800 this year. We will also require 60 cadets and about 40 others in the Air Corps, Naval Service and as specialist doctors, dentists, engineers, watchkeepers and so on. The total figure is between 900 and 1,000.

I agree with the overall thrust of the recruitment convention and do not intend to violate its substance. There is no comparison between press-ganging ten to 14 year olds into war-like situations in Sierra Leone and Liberia and the very responsible programme operated by the Defence Forces since its foundation. Applicants must be 17 and will not perform domestic operational and overseas duties until they are 18. Apprentices are recruited at the normal apprenticeship age and can spend up to four years training. They could be 20 years old or more before they would have an opportunity to engage in operational duties in the Defence Forces.

Deputy Timmins knows that much of the work done in the first year offers opportunities for continuing education and training. That is why some Defence Forces personnel who leave quickly are so attractive to the private sector. The training and other opportunities in the Defence Forces are very good in character. About 22% of recruits to the Defence Forces are between 17 and 18. A good number of these would be 17 and a half or nearer to 18. I cannot give overall statistics but it is not the case that they would be just 17. Those who join aged between 17 and 18 require parents' or a guardian's permission. It is a different scenario.

My impression is that soldiers younger than 18 have carried out domestic operational duties, although I do not have any direct evidence of that. Will the Minister check that as well as whether any personnel younger than 18 have served overseas? I believe it is possible that may have happened.

Between March and September last year, 520 people enlisted in the Defence Forces, but by December, 25% had left. Has the Minister examined the reason this happened and has he taken any measures to ensure there will not be a recurrence? It is a waste of money funding equipment for these people if they leave after a few short months. Does the Minister appear in the advertising campaign at any stage?

Deputy Timmins knows well that I have the least expertise in the Dáil when it comes to public relations. For that reason, once again and to the benefit of the advertisements, I do not appear in them.

The Minister is breaking the trend.

He is the exception to the rule.

The time for this question has concluded.

There are always waiting lists of people wanting to enlist in the Defence Forces. I have held discussions with senior people in the Army, such as the Chief of Staff and his deputies, regarding any aspects of training or circumstances which would be detrimental to retaining young recruits. Active consideration is being given to examining this because there may well be elements which belong to the past and for which there is no need now with so many opportunities for education for young people. A good number will have completed their leaving certificate by the time they decide to enlist. It is something of which we are taking cognisance.

David Stanton

Question:

32 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Defence the measures he is putting in place to attract and retain personnel in the Naval Service, especially those with technical expertise and experience; the position regarding strength and vacancies in the various grades and categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4897/02]

As I stated in my reply to the previous question, I attended the launch of the Defence Forces recruitment advertising campaign yesterday. I expect this campaign, which is designed to attract applicants to careers in the Defence Forces generally, to increase the numbers seeking careers in the Naval Service.

In the past four years, a total of 331 personnel have been inducted into the Naval Service, including 58 cadets and officers, 21 apprentices and 248 enlisted personnel. It is expected the recruitment campaign will target vacancies throughout the Naval Service in the coming year with up to 100 personnel of all ranks being recruited this year. This figure will include general service recruits, cadets and the appointment and enlistment of suitably qualified technical personnel, including watchkeeping officers, marine engineer officers, electrical engineering officers, electrical artificers and engine room artificers. In addition, a number of enlisted personnel will be given the opportunity to apply for commissioning as officers in the Naval Service.

In the White Paper on Defence, the Government decided that an updated integrated Defence Forces personnel management plan would be prepared by military management as a matter of priority. It would set down policies and goals to ensure that personnel policies and practices kept pace with the best practice to the benefit of the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service. The proposed integrated personnel management plan, which is being prepared by the Chief of Staff, will address the issues raised by the Deputy relating to the Naval Service and will establish a comprehensive intake policy and active personnel management framework to address requirements in the coming decade.

The new organisation for the Naval Service which I approved in December 2000 provides for an increased total of 1,144 personnel as follows: 189 officers, 537 NCOs and 418 seamen. The strength of the Naval Service at 31 December last was 951 and comprised 132 officers or cadets, 426 NCOs and 393 seamen. The recruitment campaign will address the normal turnover of personnel together with the need to take account of the increase in Naval Service personnel in the new organisation.

I assume the Minister has information regarding current vacancies in the Naval Service. I asked about that. Do the people recruited to the Naval Service stay in it? How many decided to leave after a short period?

I will try to obtain that specific information for the Deputy. There is provision for the appointment of 115 watchkeepers with 75 in service and 23 at various levels of training. There is provision for the appointment of 32 marine engineer officers with 16 in service and eight at various levels of training. There is provision for 13 appointments as electrical engineers, four are currently serving and a competition to recruit graduate electronic engineers was advertised in recent weeks. There is provision for the appointment of 85 engine room artificers, 63 are currently serving and a further 30 are at various levels of training. There is provision for a total of 48 electrical artificers, 28 are currently serving and 24 are at various levels of training. There is a total of 23 shipwright hull artificers, 16 are currently serving and ten are at various levels of training. There are 29 radio radar technicians, 14 are currently serving and a further ten are at various levels of training.

While the establishment figure is down Deputies can see that the flag officers and the Naval Service generally are trying to build up numbers. The service has been able to maintain its fishery protection vessels and has been able to send a ship to China. The service is short in some specialist areas and I accept advice on quick entry to areas where specific problems exist. The workload is being maintained and requirements are being met. The intake from this year's recruitment campaign should be approximately 100 and careful management will ensure that newly trained personnel fill areas where there are shortages.

I look forward to the Minister sending me information regarding vacancies and the number of people who joined the service and subsequently left it. Does the Minister agree that the sea-going time is an increasingly important factor in people not remaining in the naval service?

Is the National Minimum Wage Act complied with in the naval service? When naval personnel are aboard ship they are on duty at all times. Are they paid in compliance with the Act at all times?

I do not think the minimum wage legislation needs to be applied to Defence Forces personnel. They are considerably above that level.

We are different from other countries in our desire to come home quickly from sea. People in other countries appear to be able to withstand voyages of long duration away from home. This is a major consideration for personnel and their families. There is no easy solution to this problem, but filling our numbers to the best possible extent at least means that periods at sea are rotated. Interestingly, we have had a number of applicants from the midlands—

That is because they have been flooded so often since the Government came to power.

—which we are delighted about.

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