Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:
180. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence why only seven women were accepted into the Defence Forces in the last call despite over 617 women applying; if he thinks that this low number of female recruits is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32847/23]
View answer
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
The military authorities have advised that, as of 31 May 2023, 7 women were inducted into the Defence Forces, with 6 of those resulting from applications made in 2022. In 2023, as at 31 May, 617 women applied to join the Defence Forces, with 552 of those applications being viable. 63 of those viable applications are still ‘live’ and are currently being progressed, 1 application was successfully progressed and resulted in the candidate being inducted and 8 candidates withdrew their applications
The following table details the remaining 480 applications which were unsuccessful at various stages throughout the process:
|
Did not attend Psychometric Testing
|
246
|
|
Failed Psychometric Test / Verification
|
151
|
|
Did not attend Fitness Test and Interview
|
45
|
|
Failed Medical / Fitness Test
|
15
|
|
Duplicate Application
|
1
|
|
Does not meet Criteria / Educational Requirements
|
9
|
|
Unsuccessful as Outside of the Order of Merit for Cadet Competition
|
12
|
|
No Contact After Multiple Attempts
|
1
|
As can be seen above, reasons for the high attrition includes a high percentage of applicants that did not attend at the various induction stages or failed the psychometric, fitness or medical tests. In the case of non-shows, the Defence Forces have been proactive in attempting to rearrange times that are more suitable to the applicant.
The military authorities continue to keep psychometric testing, and all other aspects of recruitment, under on-going review to ensure it continues to effectively determine suitability for entry to the Defence Forces. On that basis, psychometric testing in the Naval Service General Service recruitment was paused, on a pilot basis, for 6 months. An analysis of the revised approach will then take place and will inform future decisions on this process.
Special consideration is paid to women as a target group for recruitment within the general recruitment framework and the High Level Action Plan agreed by Government on the Commission on the Defence Forces contains a range of recommendations designed to assist in increasing female participation in the Defence Forces.
My immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of both men and women 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.
I am informed by the military authorities that it was not possible to provide the required information within the timeframe available. I shall provide the information to the Deputy once it becomes available.
