Vol. 914 No. 1
14. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the steps he is taking to address the attrition rate in the Defence Forces and the loss of many highly trained and skilled persons; to identify the cause of early departures; to encourage and support retention of personnel; when he will review the pay for members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17095/16]
What steps is the Minister taking to address the huge attrition rate in the Defence Forces and the loss of many highly trained and skilled personnel? What steps is he taking to identify the cause of these early departures? What measures are he and the Department taking to encourage and support the retention of personnel? When does he expect to conduct a pay review for members of the Defence Forces?
First, I congratulate Deputy Lisa Chambers on her election and on her appointment as Fianna Fáil spokesperson on defence.
As the Deputy will be aware, during the economic crisis, recruitment was conducted within a constrained resource envelope, taking into account the need to continue to procure essential systems and equipment for the Defence Forces. Balancing recruitment and equipment investment was essential so as to ensure that the Defence Forces could continue to perform all the functions assigned to them by the Government. Notwithstanding this the Defence Forces, uniquely within the public service, continued to recruit. In addition, very significant investment was made in equipment replenishment, not least the procurement of new vessels for the Naval Service and a range of force protection equipment, including a fleet of light tactical armoured vehicles, for the Army.
The Defence Forces are currently engaged in a major programme of recruitment to bring the number of serving personnel back up to the authorised strength of 9,500. More than 600 personnel will be recruited this year and it is planned to recruit 850 personnel in 2017. However, given the numbers leaving, either on retirement or to avail of the opportunities their significant Defence Forces professional skills training offers them in the wider economy, it is likely that we will continue to turn over personnel on an annual basis. As such, it will take time to return the Defence Forces to their full strength.
Given the unique and demanding nature of military life, there is understandably a high level of turnover among Defence Forces personnel. However, this is not new. The Defence Forces have always had a large turnover of approximately 500 personnel annually. Moreover, a certain level of turnover is necessary to maintain an appropriate age profile across the Defence Forces as a whole.
The Minister's response appears to be that money has been spent on equipment, that recruitment has continued, albeit that it has clearly not been effective enough to reach the required personnel numbers, and that equipment has been provided for the Naval Service. All of that is very much appreciated but my question was about the retention of personnel. The Minister talked about recruiting personnel to bridge the gap but that is not prevention. It is a cure for the numbers who have already left. How do we keep the personnel we have, the people we have spent a great deal of money training? There is great concern that the early departure of many personnel could affect our Defence Forces' capabilities and operations.
The exodus of officers from the Defence Forces could seriously affect our capabilities. According to the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, 48 applications are being processed this year in addition to the more than 90 vacancies that already exist. Last year, 76 officers left the Defence Forces. This flight of talent was highlighted by RACO's magazine, Signal, with the general secretary saying that management has disappointingly failed to engage or constructively respond to issues and concerns raised at RACO's conference last year. He also highlighted the pressing requirement to address family-friendly practices and policies to support officers who are continually being re-located. Clearly, the abolition of the western brigade has contributed to that also.
I understand the Deputy's concerns. It is very important that we invest in equipment because we must ensure the Defence Forces personnel have the capability to carry out their role in peacekeeping operations, training and so forth. Equipment is important for that.
I take the Deputy's point that there has been a high number of departures. However, in the last number of years, there has been an average trend in that regard and the number is not more now than it was in the past. There are more opportunities for people in the private sector now. The Deputy referred to the number of officers leaving the Defence Forces to go into the private sector. I have raised this with the Department and the Defence Forces but it simply indicates how highly qualified the people who are trained by the Defence Forces are. It is not nice to lose those highly trained men and women to the private sector.
Again, I did not raise a concern about purchasing equipment. I welcome that; we need the equipment. However, our people are our most valuable asset in the Defence Forces. We are currently losing them at an alarming rate and the private sector is benefitting enormously. We pay to train them but we are not doing enough to keep them in the Defence Forces. To state simply that we have always had a high turnover does not justify the problem continuing to exist. We must endeavour to tackle the problem now and ensure we retain those people in so far as we can. Reports indicate that the Naval Service is short of marine engineers and electrical engineers. It can take up to five years to train officers. Many officers in the Air Corps who have amassed significant experience are being headhunted. We are aware this is happening. It is due to the fact that pay and conditions are not good enough to retain those people. In addition, the loss of the western brigade has led to greater relocation of officers on a more regular basis, leading to less family-friendly working conditions. Again, this is a contributing factor.
We can and must take measures to address this. I am not advocating that we do not spend money on equipment. We must have equipment to ensure that people can work safely in their jobs. However, we must invest in our people and ensure that we retain them after spending a great deal of money training them to bring them to the very high standard the Minister mentioned. We should keep them in our Defence Forces.
I have been advised by the military authorities that in line with current public service remuneration policy, there are no specific financial incentive personnel retention schemes in place for the Defence Forces.
The Defence Forces offer a very rewarding and challenging career, which is why people join them. They provide people with opportunities they will not get in any other organisation. All personnel are given the opportunity to acquire professional skills through accredited courses. There are significant opportunities for advancement through promotion. While it is challenging, the opportunity to serve overseas is professionally rewarding and financially compensated. The Defence Forces have been challenged in terms of keeping highly qualified people as the economy grows, with increasing and more lucrative opportunities opening up in the private sector. This shows that the private sector looks to the Defence Forces for highly trained people. It is a concern and something about which I am very much aware.
15. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when he expects the malaria chemoprophylaxis working group to finalise its report into the prescribing of Lariam to members of the Defence Forces; the progress of the report to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17161/16]
The purpose of this question is to ask why Lariam is still being issued to Irish soldiers despite the fact that defence forces in many other countries have banned its use, and to ask when the working group that was set up to look into this matter will report back to the Minister and afterwards to the Dáil.
A malaria working group was established in January 2011 and reported in April 2013. The group was reconvened in August 2015. The purpose of the group is to review, inter alia, issues arising relating to the use of Lariam, particularly in the context of current and potential litigation. It is to review the Defence Forces' approach to the use of malaria chemoprophylaxis. It is also to ensure that the procedures relating to this continue to be appropriate and in accordance with best medical practice. In addition, the group was tasked with reviewing the use of the drug primaquine as part of the overall medical treatment process for those deployed to malarious areas.
As with the group's original report, the current report is being produced in the context of current and potential litigation and is, therefore, legally privileged. I can confirm that the group is investigating all the various allegations surrounding the use of Lariam and is engaging with experts both nationally and internationally. I understand it hopes to complete the report next month.
The health and welfare of the Defence Forces are a priority for me and the Department, and this informs my approach to the issue of Lariam. While I am anxious to receive the completed report as soon as possible, I want the group to ensure that it provides as comprehensive a report as possible. Once the report is completed, the group will report back to me with its findings.
I do not know whether the Minister of State is fully aware of the dangerous and lasting side effects of Lariam and whether he has met some of the soldiers and former soldiers I met at the weekend. They were able to describe in graphic detail what had happened to them and their colleagues and were also able to point to quite a number of other countries that have declared the drug to be one of last resort. The United States Army Special Forces Command has banned its use. Countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Canada have either banned its use or use it as a last resort. I have put many questions to a number of Ministers over the years; I believe the Minister of State is the fourth Minister with whom I have raised this question. Ireland still allows the use of a drug that is highly suspect in terms of its use by Defence Forces personnel travelling overseas to represent this country and do good work.
As the Deputy knows, malaria is probably one of the most dangerous diseases that anyone serving in sub-Saharan Africa can pick up. Lariam has been prescribed by the Chief Medical Officer, who states that it is the safest drug to prescribe to serving members. I am aware that the former Minister of Defence, Deputy Coveney, met a delegation from the action group that is against the use of Lariam in the past 12 to 18 months. Following the meeting, the group submitted a number of questions, which I am currently replying to. I know that the group has concerns about the use of Lariam but I can assure the Deputy that the Department has taken all safety measures into consideration when prescribing it.
Will the Minister of State confirm that he will meet Action Lariam for Irish Soldiers? At the protest last week, members of the group asked me to ask the Minister of State this question. Can he confirm that Lariam will no longer be issued to our Defence Forces in the near future and update the House on the supports the Department plans to provide to soldiers who have already been harmed by taking Lariam while serving overseas?
The health and welfare of men and women of the Defence Forces is a priority for me. The choice of medication for overseas deployment, including the use of Lariam, is a medical decision made by the medical officers in the Irish Defence Forces. Having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and individual members of the Defence Forces, Lariam remains the medication prescribed by the medical corps for Defence Forces personnel on appropriate overseas missions to ensure that our military personnel can have effective protection from the very serious risks posed by malaria, which killed approximately 438,000 people in 2015, with 90% of deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, as reported by the World Health Organization. It is a serious threat to any military force operating in the area. There are no plans to withdraw Lariam from the range of anti-malarial medications available to Defence Forces personnel.
The Deputy asked whether I would meet Action Lariam for Irish Soldiers. I have no problem with meeting this group. Unfortunately, I was unavailable to meet its representatives at the weekend, but I sent them correspondence. I will meet the group, as did my predecessor, and listen to its concerns. I must outline my number one priority, which is the safety of the members of the Defences Forces whom we send abroad.
16. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when the number of members of the Reserve Defence Force will reach 4,000; his engagement in addressing the difficulties and delays applicants experience in obtaining Garda Síochána clearance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17096/16]
The strength of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, at the end of May 2016 was 2,134 effective personnel. The 2015 White Paper on Defence confirms that the primary role of the reserve is to augment the Permanent Defence Force in times of crisis and to participate in ceremonial events. The White Paper also sets out a developmental path for the RDF. It provides that the overarching establishment of the Army Reserve, AR, and the Naval Service Reserve, NSR, is to be set at 4,169 personnel, consisting of 3,869 Army reservists and the expansion of the four NSR units from 200 personnel to 300.
In addition, the White Paper recognises that there may be professional skills that, on occasion, are not readily available in the Permanent Defence Force. Arising from the fact that there may be individual members of the RDF who, by virtue of their professional civilian qualifications, have the competence to undertake such specialised tasks and fill the skills gap, the Government has decided that a panel of such professionally qualified members of the RDF, to be known as the Specialist Reserve, should be established.
A key challenge is to recruit and train sufficient personnel to meet the reserve establishment provided for in the White Paper. The Defence Forces will continue to seek increases to the level of RDF recruitment in 2016.
It must be remembered that membership of the RDF is voluntary and strength levels are ultimately dependent on how many people volunteer for it in any given calendar year and commit to ongoing active participation in training and other activities.
With regard to Garda clearance, as I advised the Deputy recently, applicants to the Reserve Defence Forces are vetted by the Garda central vetting unit as part of the recruitment process. Processing times for vetting of applications can take up to 12 weeks on average. The Deputy will appreciate that in some cases additional inquiries may be necessary and this may result in processing times in excess of the average. For security and operational reasons the Defence Forces cannot comment on vetting processes in individual cases.
I will outline some of the scenarios I have come across. A number of applicants began the fitness testing and interview process in October 2015. Their Garda clearance forms went in after that in October-November 2015 but some of them have still not heard back. The Minister of State outlined to me that the vetting process rests with the Garda Síochána. I submitted questions to the Minister for Justice and Equality on this very issue and asked her what the turnaround times were for Garda vetting. I was told that the average turnaround time was not 12 weeks but four weeks for 80% of applications. She told me that there were certain circumstances in which additional information may be required and that time could be extended. The 12 weeks that the Minister of State just stated does not marry with the four weeks stated by the Minister for Justice and Equality this month. The Minister for Justice and Equality told me that 80% of applications are dealt with within that four-week period, so it does not explain the ongoing huge delays. Between October-November 2015 and June 2016 some applicants have not heard back. It appears that the issue does not rest with the Garda Síochána unless all of the Reserve applications happen to sit in that 20% that could potentially take longer. Will the Minister of State please explain why he has told me 12 weeks when the Minister for Justice and Equality has told me four weeks?
I assure the Deputy that neither the Defence Forces nor the Department are holding up applications to the Reserve Defence Forces. As the Deputy is aware, when one applies for the Reserve Defence Forces, one is going into a specific area. I will check with the Minister for Justice and Equality what the average waiting time on applications for Garda clearance is. Given the importance of ensuring the members of the Reserve are fully security cleared before becoming members of the Defence Forces, it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in this process or to seek for such requests to be expedited nor would it be appropriate for me to seek to have specific applications accorded priority over others. I assure the Deputy that I will look into this. I have still to meet with the recruitment section of the Defence Forces. The Deputy raised this with me at a previous meeting and I will come back to her with a reply.
I have never suggested that applications are being withheld by any particular organisation or individual. I am asking the Minister of State to investigate this because it appears that Reserve Defence Forces applications are taking much longer than anybody would expect. I have the response issued to me on 14 June 2016 by the Minister for Justice and Equality which outlines the number of applications received for the past three years. It shows clearly, in black and white, that 80% of applications are processed within four weeks. The Minister was very clear on that. I can give that to the Minister of State so that he does not need to double check it with the Minister, although he should feel free to do so. Will the Minister come back to me and tell me why those delays are happening? If they are not happening within the Department of Defence or within the Defence Forces but somewhere else, we need to identity from where the problem is originating so we can fix it. If we do not know what is causing the problem, it will persist.
From talking to individuals who have actually applied - people I know - I can tell the Minister of State that they are still waiting on responses to applications they submitted in November 2015. It is simply not good enough because those people are currently lost to the organisation. They will not come back to us again. They are very good young people who want to volunteer but we are not letting them volunteer because we are not processing their applications.
I ask Deputies to observe the clock. If everybody takes a minute, that is five minutes, and it will deny another Member the time to ask a question. Deputies should keep within the time limits on the clock.
I am as anxious as the Deputy to make sure we bring as many participants into the Reserve Defence Forces as possible. We have some very fine people in the Reserve Defence Forces. If a person talks to me about joining the Army, I always encourage them to join the Reserve first and to see at first hand exactly what is involved in military and defence life. The person gets a first-hand experience of that.
I will come back to the Deputy once I have met with the recruitment section in the Defence Forces to see what the challenges are in the process. Everyone should be treated fairly and equally in Garda vetting. I am not sure if there is any hold up in Garda vetting for applications to the Reserve Defence Forces but I will check it out and revert to the Deputy.
17. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO, summit which takes place on 8 and 9 July 2016 in Warsaw; and if he will review Ireland's membership of NATO's so-called Partnership for Peace. [17162/16]
The purpose of the question is to ask the Minister for Defence why he would consider an invitation to attend or partake in the July NATO summit? Will he now set in motion Ireland's withdrawal from NATO's Partnership for Peace?
Ireland's co-operation with NATO is conducted through the Partnership for Peace, which we joined in 1999 following approval by Dáil Éireann. Ireland’s purpose in participating in the Partnership for Peace is to improve Defence Forces capabilities and to ensure that our Defence Forces are interoperable with the forces of other states engaged in UN mandated crisis management operations. Ireland’s continued participation in Partnership for Peace was reaffirmed in the White Paper on Defence, which was published last year.
At the NATO summit in Wales in September 2014, the establishment of the Partnership Interoperability Initiative was endorsed with the purpose of reinforcing the alliance's commitment to co-operative security and interoperable capability development. As a participant in the Partnership for Peace, Ireland is also a member of the Partnership Interoperability Initiative which is now referred to as the Partnership Interoperability Platform. For Ireland, this platform provides a format for consulting and working on common interoperability challenges to enhance our ability to operate with partners in future crisis management operations.
Defence Ministers from partners and allies participating in the interoperability platform have been invited to attend a meeting of participating states at the Warsaw summit. Given the importance of interoperability for force protection and effectiveness on operations, I plan to attend that meeting on 8 and 9 July 2016. As Ireland is not a member of NATO, the question of attendance at the NATO summit itself does not arise.
Given that we are already committed to many UN mandated missions, for which we have a proud record that is acknowledged throughout the world, and also, regretfully, that we have committed to the EU battlegroup, why in God's name would we have anything to do with NATO or its Partnership for Peace at this stage? I see that another Deputy has tabled a question on that issue. Why would we commit money - it costs the Irish taxpayer money to remain committed to the Partnership for Peace - given our commitments elsewhere which are honourable and should be continued in the UN mandated group? Given that NATO is a Cold War relic and should have been disbanded many years ago, it should not be allowed to further threaten the stability of the EU or the stability of the world. Will the Minister of State start the process to withdraw from NATO's Partnership for Peace at this stage?
We have no plans to withdraw. The primary aim of our Partnership for Peace membership is to enhance the Defence Forces' interoperability with other professional military forces for the purpose of engaging in UN authorised peacekeeping and peace support operations led by the UN, EU or NATO. Participation in Partnership for Peace is fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN.
This partnership has assisted Ireland in participating in more demanding peacekeeping operations, such as the UN mission to Liberia, the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, and EUFOR Chad. Ireland is also successfully acting as a framework nation in KFOR. That is the reason I and some of my officials plan to attend the PfP meeting on 8 and 9 July. I really believe this will be beneficial to the Defence Forces in interoperability and in being able to look at the way other states operate.
The Minister of State and I will probably differ on this. We have differed over the years when there have been votes on it in this House. Can the Minister of State see the logic that interoperability suggests increased funding? As we are the poor cousin, in terms of military equipment, the demand by NATO's Partnership for Peace, the EU battle groups and the European Defence Agency is to increase the capability of the Defence Forces. Interoperability brings with it a significant cost to the taxpayer which is covered up whenever one talks about it. It is obscene. Rather than continuing with this, it is appropriate that the Government withdraw from the Partnership for Peace. If the Minister of State is going to the NATO summit, he should indicate our refusal to continue to co-operate in spending on increasing our capability when we are a neutral state.
NATO's interoperability policy is designed to support the capacity for member countries to act coherently, effectively and efficiently to achieve tactical operational and strategic objectives. Specifically, it enables forces, units and systems to operate together and allows them to share common doctrine and procedures, infrastructure and bases and the ability to be able to communicate better.
Interoperability reduces duplication, enables pooling of resources and produces synergies among partners and allies. Partners have played key roles in recent NATO operations in the Balkans, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Kosovo and in Afghanistan and it is recognised that there is a need for regular consultations with partners on all issues liked to interoperability. We will also move to a more structured and more coherent use of the existing set of partnership instruments.
18. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the current recruitment programme for the Defence Forces; the stated objectives of the new campaign to recruit more women and to engage with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, minority communities and new citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17138/16]
I ask this question to seek further detail from the Minister of State on his plans to recruit members of the Permanent Defence Force from the LGBT community, minority communities and new citizens and to increase the percentage of women in the Permanent Defence Force from 6% to 12%. The Defence Forces have a proud record at home and abroad and I am sure this tradition would benefit from having an increased number of members from diverse backgrounds.
I thank the Deputy for his question and wish him the best of luck in his new role.
The 2016 general service recruitment competition closed to applicants on 22 May 2016. At the time of closing, there were 4,590 applications with 15% or 680 of applicants being female.
The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities.
A number of specific initiatives have been implemented to increase female participation in the Defence Forces, including: the Defence Forces have visited many female schools to promote a career in the Defence Forces to women; the Defence Forces have targeted female sports clubs to heighten awareness of the opportunities for women in the Defence Forces; female websites have been targeted as part of the recruitment campaigns; special consideration is paid to women as a target group for recruitment; there is a representative composition between men and women on recruitment and selection boards; and a gender adviser operates to promote gender equality policies and training within the Defence Forces.
Unlike many other national armed forces, the Defence Forces have no restrictions as regards the assignment of men or women to the full range of operational and administrative duties. Women, therefore, play a full and meaningful role in all aspects of Defence Forces operations at home and abroad.
Notwithstanding these recent proactive initiatives, I believe that there is a need to continue to develop and promote strategies that support increased female participation in the Defence Forces. The White Paper on Defence 2015 noted that "a key impediment in achieving greater numbers of women serving in the Defence Forces is the lack of women recruitment applicants relative to men".
Additional initiatives were undertaken since 2014 to promote a career in the Defence Forces to women through outreach to schools and to sports clubs and through social media. The recent 2016 campaign built on these initiatives and was designed specifically to target females through increased engagement in the recruitment process and competition advertising.
The Minister of State's reply was short on reference to the LGBT community. Is the Minister of State confident that he can attract a sufficient number of women to the Permanent Defence Force and, in effect, double their representation in the force?
I understand from quotes in the media that recruitment will be targeted towards women who are sporty, as they are team players and winners. I hope the recruitment process is more targeted and scientific than that. The fitness requirement for the Defences Forces is already in place as part of the recruitment process. I believe we need to broaden the net in this recruitment drive. Our soldiers need to be more than just athletes.
As the 2015 White Paper on Defence highlights, we need to make the recruitment of more females a priority in our Defence Forces. We need to reflect UN Security Council Resolution 1325 requiring parties to conflicts and peacekeepers to have a greater awareness of the effect of war on women and this requires a complex skills set which I know the Defence Forces provides. We do not want to inadvertently isolate good candidates from the recruitment process before it even begins.
Initiatives established in 2014-2015 continue to be developed through active engagement with organisations such as the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, GLEN, in order to promote the Defence Forces as an employer. This engagement will include an external audit of the Defence Forces by GLEN in terms of organisational culture and diversity in 2017. In addition, work is well progressed on a Defence Forces equality and diversity policy encompassing gender and equality issues, which I plan to publish in the near future.
I am aware of the need to give females every opportunity to join the Defence Forces. I already indicated that the 2016 general service recruitment campaign was designed specially to target females through increased engagement in recruitment processes and competition advertising. This included specific provisions in social media and digital advertising, targeted advertising and the introduction of a female information programme. I can assure Deputy Ryan I am aware of female members of the Defence Forces visiting girl schools across the country to attract female recruits.
If we are to increase the number of women and members of the LGBT community and the new Irish communities, we need broad and inclusive recruitment campaigns aimed at removing barriers.
On another related matter on the recruitment process generally, I received a number of representations in recent years regarding the psychometric testing which takes place. I am aware of two cases, in particular, where individuals passed the fitness test but were unable to proceed in the process due to failing the psychometric tests. I have come across a case in which an individual failed the psychometric test and had to reapply when a recruitment process was opened.
Psychometric testing can cut people out of the process, people who in subsequent applications prove to be successful candidates for the Permanent Defence Force. Would the Minister of State consider re-calibrating the recruitment process so that the psychometric test takes place after, or alongside, the interview process and perhaps taking a look at this as part of a greater review of the recruitment process for the Permanent Defence Force?
As Deputy Ryan will be aware, psychometric testing is important for entry to the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána and many other organisations. The candidate must have a specific skill set. The psychometric testing is a challenge. I am aware of some candidates passing it online and failing when they go physically to take it in an examination hall.
That is unfortunate and many people have come to me to say that. The psychometric testing is very important for the recruitment of all candidates.
As a matter of policy, the Government believes the military forces of this State should appropriately reflect and integrate the demographics of the whole population. To that end, the Defence Forces are committed to the principles of equal opportunities in employment policies, procedures, instructions and regulations. The Defence Forces operate in an environment without discrimination in all areas covered by Equality Acts. The Defence Forces seek to ensure that the principles of equality are adhered to in the recruitment, induction, employment and daily routines of training, education and promotion. We look to work with diverse communities to give people the opportunity to join the Irish Defence Forces and we are specifically focused on gender issues.
