John Brady
Question:387. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence if he will detail both the maximum and the current strength levels of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51594/22]
View answerTuesday, 18 October 2022
Questions (387, 388)
John Brady
Question:388. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence if he will detail both the maximum and the current strength levels of the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51595/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together.
The following table details the current strength and establishment of the Permanent Defence Force, as of the 31 August 2022.
|
- |
Current Strength (WTE) |
Establishment |
|
Permanent Defence Force |
8,146 |
9,500 |
|
Army |
6,621 |
7,520 |
|
Air Corps |
704 |
886 |
|
Naval Service |
821 |
1,094 |
Ongoing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces have been acknowledged. My focus is on bringing the strength of the Defence Forces to the numbers required to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces and a number of initiatives are being implemented to address this and also counter current staffing challenges.
Question No. 388 answered with Question No. 387.