Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1007. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence the total strength of the Reserve Defence Forces, RDF; the total current annual expenditure on the RDF; if he plans to take steps with relevant Government colleagues to protect the employment rights of RDF members whose duties may come into conflict with their part-time or full-time employment responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39832/22]
View answerThe Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The strength of the RDF, as of 30 June 2022, is set out below:
|
Service |
Total Effective Personnel |
|
Army Reserve |
1387 |
|
Naval Service Reserve |
103 |
|
First Line Reserve |
275 |
The budget for the RDF has been maintained for a number of years at a constant €2.150m of which some €2.068m is dedicated to paid training. The AR and NSR Pay element provides for paid training by members of the AR and NSR and accounts for 96% of the overall Estimate. This amount, as in previous years, will facilitate up to 26,000 paid annual training Mandays for members of the AR and NSR, based on the organisational establishment of 4,069 personnel.
This allocation will provide seven days annual paid training for all effective members of the Reserve, fourteen days paid training for all additional personnel recruited to the Reserve and will provide for career and specialist courses for selected members of the Reserve in line with Reserve priorities. This provision is sufficient having regard to the existing strength of the RDF and the voluntary nature of Reserve training. The provisions for pay and allowances for both the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and the RDF are set out in Defence Force Regulation S.3 and RDF pay rates are linked with the PDF rates of pay.
750 paid Mandays are made available specifically to the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (RDFRA) to allow its members conduct association business. RDFRA currently receives an annual subvention of over €62,000 from my Department, in addition to the provision of office accommodation. Within the last two years, I have also approved further payments totalling €11,500 in supplementary financial support for the Association.
The primary roles allocated to the RDF have thus far, been to augment the PDF in crisis situations and to contribute to State ceremonial events. Heretofore, there was no provision in the Defence Acts to allow RDF personnel to be deployed overseas. However, the Defence (Amendment) Act 2021 has now been signed into law, which serves to update the Defence Legislation on the use of the RDF on a voluntary basis, on-island and overseas in support of the PDF and where it is in the best interests of the PDF. I have written to the Chief of Staff seeking his advice on these matters as they pertain to the requirements of the PDF.
In tandem, the practical arrangements to implement the amendment, including all the elements associated with the voluntary service by RDF members overseas, are under active consideration by my officials and the military authorities. Furthermore, my officials will also be actively consulting with RDFRA on these matters at the appropriate juncture.
Separately, and on foot of the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2021, I engaged with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) on the issue of employment protection for RDF members who might be engaged in such voluntary military service in support of the PDF going forward.
Engagement at official level with DETE has continued since then to consider the matter and identify appropriate next steps. This body of work is ongoing.
I can confirm that the Government remains absolutely committed to the advancement of the RDF. The Deputy will be aware that the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, published last February, contains many detailed recommendations, including on the future structure and role of the RDF. I recently 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.
This will result in the Defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028, the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State. This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the Commission.
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.
