Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Reserve.

Bernard Allen

Question:

193 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Defence in view of the fact that the exhaustive review of the Reserve Defence Force was completed by the Army board convened by the Chief of Staff in 1998 and the further detailed report compiled by the special steering group was completed in 1999, the reason the implementation plan is still not available three years later. [8454/02]

Bernard Allen

Question:

194 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Defence if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 12 February 2002, and as the military authorities proposed the creation of the appointments of the rank of lieutenant colonel for FCA officers back in 1998, and his repeated referral to these as important positions of influence on Reserve activities at the highest level, he will direct the filling of these posts immediately in order to assist in finishing the critical work in the implementation plan for the Reserve which is apparently delayed for a further year. [8455/02]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.

I am advised by the military authorities that a military board, the Reserve Defence Forces Review Implementation Board, on which the FCA is represented, has been set up at Defence Forces headquarters to formulate specific plans for the implementation of the recommendations of the Reserve steering group. I established the special steering group in 1998 to undertake a study of the Reserve and the group reported to me in September 1999. Under the aegis of the military board, structures have been put in place in each brigade and in the Naval Service to facilitate consultation with FCA and Slua Muirí personnel throughout the country. Given the dependence of the Reserve on voluntary service, I was anxious that there should be an ongoing process of consultation before proposals are finalised.

The military authorities have advised that the process of formulating revised structures for the Reserve Defence Force is ongoing and the draft Reserve Defence Forces Review Implementation Board report is expected to be submitted to the Chief of Staff shortly.

The Permanent Defence Force is now organised in a three-brigade structure and a Defence Forces training centre. The Reserve Defence Force will be similarly reorganised and restructured and it is envisaged that the implementation of these changes in the Reserve Defence Force will take place over a period of approximately six years. The full organisational and establishment details of the new Reserve Force will be deter mined in the course of the ongoing detailed implementation process. In order that senior Reserve Defence Force officers can serve and influence Reserve activities at the highest level in brigade headquarters and the Defence Forces training centre, the steering group recommended the creation of four new lieutenant-colonel appointments. It is intended that these appointments will form part of the integrated element of the Reserve and personnel appointed to these appointments would hold them for the duration of their integrated service. While the mechanism for appointing personnel to these appointments has not yet been established, it will form part of the implementation process.