Defence Forces

Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Questions (94, 117)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

94. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of persons recruited to the Defence Forces in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [29441/23]

View answer

117. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of persons who resigned or retired from the Defence Forces in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [29442/23]

View answer

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 117 together.

The military authorities have provided the information in the following table, detailing the total number of personnel inducted into, and discharged from, the Defence Forces in each of the years 2013 to 2023 (as at 31st May).

Year	Total Inducted	Total Discharges
2023*	149	293
2022	435	891
2021	576	686
2020	538	641
2019	605	882
2018	611	740
2017	751	742
2016	690	679
2015	406	571
2014	506	481
2013	404	473

*As at 31 May 2023

The term 'discharges' encompasses personnel who left for a variety of reasons including on age grounds, at end of contract and voluntary discharges and also includes a number of trainees who exited prior to completion of their initial training.

Ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces have been acknowledged. In that regard, my immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces and thereafter increasing strength to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.