Thursday, 5 May 2016

Written Answers Nos. 42-46

TAMS Applications

Questions (42)

Michael Creed

Question:

42. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive grant aid for a slatted shed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9343/16]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The applicant in question has applied under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme in TAMS II. The administrative checks have been carried out and it is expected that approval will issue in a matter of weeks.

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Questions (43)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

43. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will issue payment to a person (details supplied) under the agri-environment options scheme. [9346/16]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

This AEOS contract commenced on 1 September 2011 and payment issued for the 2011-2014 scheme years. The person named took over the AEOS contract during the 2015 Scheme year following the death of the original applicant and Grant of Probate. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue.  Issues which arose during these checks have now been resolved and it is expected that payment will issue shortly in respect of the 2015 Scheme year to the representatives of the original contract holder.

Defence Forces Recruitment

Questions (44, 45)

Seán Haughey

Question:

44. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Defence to extend the deadline for recruitment into the Defence Forces from 22 May to 1 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9251/16]

Seán Haughey

Question:

45. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Defence to extend the age limit for recruitment into the Army from 25 years of age to 27 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9252/16]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 45 together.

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, the establishment of the Permanent Defence Force and available resources. 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 as set out above in accordance with available training capacity. This approach is underlined by the recently announced General Service recruitment campaign, which was launched on 13 April 2016 with a closing date of 22 May 2016. This provides a window of five weeks for an individual to register their interest and apply. I am satisfied that the time period allocated is sufficient and I have no plans to extend it. The processing of applications through the system takes a significant amount of time involving psychometric tests, fitness tests, interview, medical examinations, security clearance etc. We need to move ahead with that process expeditiously in order to have a panel in place from which we can draw recruits later this year.

The upper age limit for enlistment in the Army and Air Corps is under 25 years of age on the closing date for receipt of applications for enlistment, and for the Naval Service it is under 27 years of age on the closing date for receipt of applications for 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 as a whole. The Defence Forces have an ongoing objective of ensuring an appropriate age profile through continuous recruitment and congruent manpower planning, training and development and career management strategies. Given the health and fitness requirements for Privates and new recruits to the Defence Forces, I do not believe that it would serve the Defence Forces or the individual recruits well to increase the current age limits.

Defence Forces Deployment

Questions (46)

Seán Crowe

Question:

46. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence if members of the Defence Forces are serving and stationed in Afghanistan. [9290/16]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

Currently, there are no members of the Permanent Defence Force serving in Afghanistan. Seven (7) members of the Permanent Defence Force, who had been serving with the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan since its establishment on 01 January 2015, completed their service with the mission on 10 March 2016. Prior to 2015, seven (7) members of the Permanent Defence Force were deployed with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan until 31 December 2014 when the mission closed.