Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2010
609 Deputy Seán Connick asked the Minister for Defence if the maximum age for recruitment to the Permanent Defence Forces will increase in conjunction with the increase in the entitlement age to a State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12277/10]
View answerThe 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force Review Implementation Plan both identified the requirement to address the high age profile in the Defence Forces. The key element in military life is the need for personnel to maintain a level of fitness for combat readiness. This requirement must be balanced with the need to retain experience and expertise, particularly at managerial level in the Defence Forces. The upper age limit for enlistment in the Army is under 25 years of age on the date of enlistment and for the Naval Service it is under 27 years of age on the date of enlistment. These limits are determined on the basis that the essential functions of the Permanent Defence Force requires that its members be composed of able-bodied personnel of an age which is commensurate with the functional requirements of the organisation.
The age profile of personnel recruited for general service into the Defence Forces in 2009 and over the past 10 years is presented in the Tabular Statement.
I am satisfied that the existing age requirements for recruitment to the Defence Forces are appropriate and I do not propose to make any changes in this area at this time.
|
Year |
Average Age |
|
2009 |
None recruited |
|
2008 |
20.31 |
|
2007 |
20.55 |
|
2006 |
20.54 |
|
2005 |
20.47 |
|
2004 |
20.45 |
|
2003 |
20.52 |
|
2002 |
20.60 |
|
2001 |
20.70 |
|
2000 |
19.83 |
|
1999 |
19.41 |
