Jack Chambers
Question:65. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the strength in whole-time equivalent terms of the Defence Forces Reserve with regard to all three services and all ranks. [44406/18]
View answerThursday, 25 October 2018
Questions (65)
Written answers
As of 30 September 2018 (the latest date for which figures are available), the effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force was as follows:
|
Service |
Total Personnel |
|
First Line Reserve (FLR) |
278 |
|
Army Reserve (AR) |
1,620 |
|
Naval Service Reserve (NSR) |
125 |
I am aware that there is a difference between these figures and the establishment for the AR and NSR which provides for 4,069 personnel. To address this difference, I directed the military authorities to maximise recruitment to the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve, having regard to training demands arising from significant ongoing recruitment to the PDF.
A total of 1,363 applications were received for the recent RDF General Service Recruitment campaign. Applications for this recruitment campaign, which ran between 23 April and 4 June 2018, are currently being processed. A total of 124 members have been inducted into the RDF in 2018 (as of 12 October 2018).
I can assure the Deputy that I remain committed to the on-going development of the RDF within the framework set out in the White Paper on Defence.