Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 2

Written Answers - Defence Forces Reserve.

David Stanton

Question:

148 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Defence the number of FCA officers of the respective ranks currently serving; the way in which the proposed reorganisation of the reserve will affect such officers and their career prospects, especially with regard to promotion opportunities; the number of vacant officer appointments currently in the reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5807/03]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

On 15 January 2003 I approved, in principle, the report of the Reserve Defence Forces Review Implementation Board. This implementation board was established to formulate a plan for the implementation of the recommendations of the special steering group on the Reserve. The steering group, which I established to undertake a study of the reserve, reported to me in September 1999. The Reserve Defence Review Implementation Board sets out a six year implementation process for the reorganisation of the Reserve based on the steering group report proposals and that process is now under way.

The full organisational and establishment details of the new reserve will be determined in the course of the ongoing detailed implementation process. Plans are currently being prepared by each general officer commanding a brigade for the amalgamation of FCA units in line with the proposals outlined in the steering group report. The objective of this process is to ensure that better training and other facilities will be provided to members of the Reserve Defence Forces. No decisions have yet been taken on the location of the proposed newly amalgamated units but the military authorities have advised me that all proposed amalgamations will provide an optimal environment for personnel in the relevant areas to partake in the new enhanced Reserve Defence.

In general terms, the blueprint for the new Reserve Defence Force will involve replacing An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil with an Army Reserve consisting of two elements. One element will provide personnel who will integrate with Permanent Defence Force units to bring them up to full operational strength in a contingency situation. Personnel who opt for a period of integrated service will be provided with enhanced military training. The larger element will provide the overall Army Reserve, organised into three reserve brigades.

Members of the FCA are already seeing the benefits in terms of better clothing and improved equipment and more and better quality training. As the process develops we will see additional benefits in terms of a clearer role for the reserve, a better overall organisation structure, and opportunities for suitably qualified reserve personnel to serve overseas. We will also see benefits from the closer integration of the reserve with the Army.

I must emphasise I am very mindful of the need to preserve and to retain the very many traditional and well established strengths of the current reserve system, not least the admirable spirit of individual voluntary commitment, close social links with local communities and a good depth and scope as regards nationwide geographical spread. 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 into a parallel structure over a period of approximately six years. The total number of and ranking of officer appointments in the new Army Reserve will obviously be a final end product of the wider reorganisation and restructuring process. The full organisational and establishment details of the new reserve will be determined 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 report recommended the creation of four new lieutenant-colonel appointments. It is intended that these new 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.

The following table sets out the current position as regards relative establishments and strengths across commissioned ranks of the FCA.

An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil	Comdt	Capt	Lt	2/Lt	Total
Establishment	134	238	673	–	1045
Strength	126	211	381	166	884