Defence Forces Strength

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 April 2016

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Questions (256, 257)

Lisa Chambers

Question:

256. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the up-to-date strength of the Permanent Defence Force, by Army, by Naval Service, by Air Corps, by ranks and by gender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7105/16]

Lisa Chambers

Question:

257. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Permanent Defence Force by Army, by Naval Service, by Air Corps and by rank at the end of each of the years 2012 to 2015. [7106/16]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 257 together.

The following tables set out the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of 29th February, 2016, the latest date for which figures are available, across all three services and ranks, broken down by gender. The figures provided are for whole time equivalent posts.

Army

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Lieutenant General	1	0	1
Major General	2	0	2
Brigadier General	6	0	6
Colonel	31	0	31
Lieutenant Colonel	103	3	106
Commandant	225	27	252
Captain	229	41	270
Lieutenant	157	28	185
Sergeant Major	29	0	29
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	32	0	32
Company Sergeant	104	1	105
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	160	2	162
Sergeant	859	58	917
Corporal	1,176	113	1,289
Private	3,731	182	3,913
Cadets	27	2	29
Total	6,872	457	7,329

Naval Service

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Brigadier General	1	0	1
Colonel	2	0	2
Lieutenant Colonel	13	0	13
Commandant	44	6	50
Captain	34	16	50
Lieutenant	29	2	31
Sergeant Major	6	0	6
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	7	0	7
Company Sergeant	76	0	76
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	16	0	16
Sergeant	179	6	185
Corporal	130	8	138
Private	464	19	483
Cadets	12	3	15
Total	1,01 3	60	1,073

Air Corps

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Brigadier General	1	0	1
Colonel	2	0	2
Lieutenant Colonel	14	0	14
Commandant	31	1	32
Captain	51	7	58
Lieutenant	17	0	17
Sergeant Major	7	1	8
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	4	0	4
Company Sergeant	54	0	54
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	13	1	14
Sergeant	11 8	6	124
Corporal	138	9	147
Private	234	10	244
Cadets	25	0	25
Total	709	35	744

The following tables set out the strength of the Permanent Defence Force by the three services and rank at the end of each of the years 2012 to 2015

Army

Rank	Army 2012	Army 2013	Army 2014	Army 2015
Lieutenant General	1	1	1	1
Major General	1	2	2	2
Brigadier General	6	6	6	6
Colonel	35	34	33	33
Lieutenant Colonel	109	108	104	106
Commandant	252	250	243	258
Captain	321	263	280	257
Lieutenant	241	257	219	183
Sergeant Major	28	29	29	29
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	33	33	32	32
Company Sergeant	89	110	100	103
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	147	165	158	162
Sergeant	782	897	871	917
Corporal	1,383	1,312	1,396	1,303
Private	4,041	3,926	3,944	3,869
Cadets	41	41	39	48
Total	7,510	7,43 4	7,457	7,309

Naval Service

Rank	Naval Service 2012	Naval Service 2013	Naval Service 2014	Naval Service 2015
Lieutenant General	0	0	0	0
Major General	0	0	0	0
Brigadier General	1	1	1	1
Colonel	2	1	2	2
Lieutenant Colonel	13	13	13	13
Commandant	43	45	43	51
Captain	56	52	61	51
Lieutenant	47	47	34	32
Sergeant Major	6	6	6	6
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	7	7	7	7
Company Sergeant	72	69	68	76
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	15	15	15	15
Sergeant	179	170	170	187
Corporal	157	174	171	139
Private	443	408	454	488
Cadets	17	15	12	15
Total	1,058	1,02 3	1,057	1,083

Air Corps

Rank	Air Corps 2012	Air Corps 2013	Air Corps 2014	Air Corps 2015
Lieutenant General	0	0	0	0
Major General	1	0	0	0
Brigadier General	1	1	1	1
Colonel	1	2	2	2
Lieutenant Colonel	14	14	11	14
Commandant	32	32	31	31
Captain	56	53	55	60
Lieutenant	32	32	28	16
Sergeant Major	8	8	8	8
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	4	4	4	4
Company Sergeant	35	48	50	54
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	13	13	14	14
Sergeant	107	126	124	123
Corporal	180	160	158	149
Private	299	269	257	245
Cadets	8	17	23	27
Total	791	779	766	748

Strength figures from 2013 on are Whole Time Equivalents.

The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence.

The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. Personnel are posted on the basis of operational needs across the organisation both at home and abroad. As there is significant turnover of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force targeted recruitment takes place so as to maintain personnel numbers at or near the agreed strength levels.

With the support of the Chief of Staff, I am confident that we shall retain the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake the tasks assigned by Government, both at home and overseas.