John Brady
Question:435. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence if he will detail the number of women in the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38995/22]
View answerThursday, 14 July 2022
Questions (435)
Written answers
It is Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces, including the Reserve Defence Force (RDF), in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence Forces are drawn and serve. As of 31 May 2022, the effective female strength of the RDF is 194 members.
In line with current policies and commitments, a number of initiatives have been implemented to increase the level of female participation in the Defence Forces. For example:
- Special consideration is paid to women as a target group for recruitment within the general recruitment framework, including a Female Recruitment Standing Committee reporting on initiatives for 2022, with dedicated female recruitment teams proposed. In addition, a female specific "Always on" (constant targeting of the female demographic) campaign commenced in October 2021.
- The Defence Forces actively engage with schools to conduct career talks and regularly attend events aimed at future career choices for schools.
- A Gender Equality and Diversity Officer has been appointed to promote gender equality policies and training within the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces are committed to gender equality and employ a gender perspective in the planning and execution of operations both at home and overseas and in all policies and regulations. Gender Advisors are available to all Brigades and Services and trained Gender Focal Points are deployed with all overseas units and ships in order to promote a gender perspective in operations.
- A Defence Forces Women's Network was established with the aim of increasing the participation of female personnel at all levels of the organisation.
Over the lifetime of the White Paper on Defence, a number of projects will be progressed to ensure the development and promotion of strategies that continue to support increased female participation in the Defence Forces.
Initiatives in place to recruit individuals to the Reserve include supports provided to maximise RDF recruitment, including use of social media, promotion through the DF Press Office, outreach activities by RDF members, and the use of PDF exit interviews which contain information on applying to the RDF. In addition, a number of measures to streamline the recruitment and induction process for the RDF are in train and it is hoped that they will yield a positive outcome.
Finally, as the Deputy will be aware, the recently published Report from the Commission on the Defence Forces includes a number of recommendations relating to gender and diversity in the Defence Forces.
As the Deputy will be aware, following Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, I announced that the Government has approved a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces.
A High Level Action Plan (HLAP) that sets out the Government’s response to the recent report of the Commission on the Defence Forces has also been approved.
Some specific initiatives include the immediate commencement of planning for the establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs with the priority objective of developing a regeneration plan for the Reserve Defence Force.
The Government remains committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities.