Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 February 2024
171. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of enlisted personnel and cadets targeted for recruitment in 2023; the number of each recruited; the increased recruitment target of each for 2024; the additional resources to be provided to facilitate this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4767/24]
View answerIn December 2022, the military authorities advised that their induction training capacity for 2023 would be 880. 415 personnel were inducted in 2023 comprised of 350 enlisted personnel, 63 cadets and 2 officers. There continues to be a strong pipeline of interest in joining the Defence Forces with some 9,479 applications received in 2023.
At a recruitment briefing in December 2023, the military authorities outlined that their total projected induction figure for 2024 was 540 i.e. 472 enlisted personnel, 60 cadets and 8 officers. I have instructed that additional enlisted personnel and cadets be recruited in 2024, beyond this figure
Budgetary allocations for the Defence Sector in 2023 and 2024 provided for the recruitment of a net 400 personnel in each of these years. Recruitment in 2024 is facilitated by the allocation of €1.23 billion for the Defence Sector in Budget 2024.
