As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question, Number 491 on 16 October last, the Government has decided to accept my recommendation that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force will be maintained at 9,500. The approximate pay cost involved in the recruitment of 600 personnel on an annual basis is €13,273,065 inclusive of Employer’s PRSI contribution. This figure is broken down in the following table:
Competition
|
Number of personnel
|
Approx. Pay Cost €
|
General Service Recruits*
|
541
|
12,163,265
|
Instrumentalists in the Defence Forces School of Music
|
28
|
535,240
|
Air Corps Apprentices
|
20
|
252,221
|
Naval Service Engine Room Artificers
|
11
|
322,339
|
Total
|
600
|
13,273,065
|
*As recruits progress through their training they have three different pay scales in the first year. The resource envelope allocated to Defence is the amount of funding allocated in order to cover all costs in a given year which are within the remit of Defence. In this regard, as the strength of the Permanent Defence Force is below the approved 9,500, there is sufficient funding available to allow for the intake of 600 personnel.