Barry Cowen
Question:113. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of September 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42527/23]
View answerTuesday, 3 October 2023
Questions (113)
Written answers
The strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 31 August 2023, the latest date for which such figures are available, was 7,671 personnel. The establishment of the Permanent Defence Force has recently been increased to 9,589. This increase is intended to expedite implementation of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, through the creation of 89 additional promotional opportunities.
I have previously acknowledged the staffing difficulties in the Defence Forces, and work is ongoing to counter these. Current recruitment initiatives include ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment, the re-entry schemes, and the 'Be More' recruitment campaign.
A Joint Induction Training Centre has been established in Gormanston, with a view to increasing the throughput of recruits destined for all branches of the Defence Forces, and the training syllabus for these recruits has been refined.
The maximum age of entry has been increased to 29 years for General Service recruits, Cadets, apprentices, and certain specialists. Fitness test scoring has also been amended to maximise induction levels.
External human resources expertise has recently been engaged. This will assess Defence Forces recruitment and the candidate’s recruitment journey, with a view to validation of current processes and appropriate recommendations, where required.
To address specific challenges in the Naval Service, and in an effort to maximise the recruit pool, psychometric testing for Naval Service General Service recruitment has been paused on a pilot basis for 6 months with an analysis of the revised approach to take place at this point. A specific Naval Service recruitment campaign is in train, and a contract has recently been awarded to a marine specialist recruitment body to target individuals with the skills and expertise required by the Naval Service.
Government has also acknowledged ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces and has introduced a range of financial and non-financial retention measures such as service commitment schemes in the Air Corps and the Naval Service, tax measures, extension of private secondary medical care to all Defence Forces personnel, and significant progress on pay, which compares favourably with other areas in the Public Service.
My immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel, and to facilitate capacity for further increases. This will enable us to align ultimately with the level of ambition recommended in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, and agreed by Government.