Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 January 2017
324. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of applications that have been received to join the Naval Service Reserve up to December 2016 in view of the fact an RDF recruitment competition was launched in September 2015; and the number of these applicants that have been attested into the Naval Service Reserve as of 1 January 2017. [2415/17]
View answerFrom the launch of the most recent campaign of recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) which commenced in September 2015, a total of 771 applications were made to join the Naval Service Reserve.
Of the total number of applications up to 31 December 2016, sixteen people have successfully progressed through all stages of the competition so far. It is planned that induction of those Reserve personnel will take place as part of the Recruit Class in April 2017. I am hopeful that these 16 will be joined by additional candidates who meet all the necessary criteria prior to commencement of training.
Recruitment to both the RDF and the PDF is ongoing. Recruitment to both is a matter in which I am actively engaged with Departmental officials and the military authorities and it continues to be one of my priorities.
