Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2024
23. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the progress made to date to increase the Defence Forces to 11,500 members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13077/24]
View answer40. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the personnel strength of the permanent Defence Force as of 1 March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13026/24]
View answer44. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures he has introduced to boost recruitment and retention in the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13043/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 40 and 44 together.
In 2022, the Government approved the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF). One of these recommendations was to move, over a six-year period, to a level of Defence Forces’ capability that would require an additional 2,000 personnel, including a civilian component, beyond the 9,500 Permanent Defence Force (PDF) establishment figure that was in place at the time of the Commission’s report.
Since that time, the establishment figure has been increased to 9,589 to facilitate the implementation of all the Commission’s recommendations, with these additional positions being filled by promotion and redeployment. The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission’s recommendations was published on 21 November 2023.
The strength of the PDF, as at 31 January 2024 the latest date for which such figures are available, stood at 7,504 personnel. I have acknowledged the current staffing difficulties previously and I have instructed the military authorities that additional enlisted personnel and Cadets be recruited in 2024 beyond the initial projected induction figure proposed. An allocation of €1.23 billion for the Defence Sector in Budget 2024, which includes a provision for the recruitment and training of at least a net additional 400 enlisted personnel in 2024, will assist in this regard.
There are a number of recruitment initiatives currently underway including ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment, the re-entry schemes, the engagement of a Marketing and Media partner to assist with recruitment advertising and the 'Be More' recruitment campaign. Additionally, the establishment of the Joint Induction Training Centre in Gormanston will, when fully operational, increase the training capacity for recruits.
In relation to the Naval Service, there has been a Naval Service specific advertising campaign and psychometric testing was paused for 12 months from June 2023 to gauge the impact on numbers of successful candidates. A specialist marine recruitment body has been contracted to target individuals with specific skills and expertise required by the Naval Service.
External recruitment expertise was engaged to validate the recruitment process into the Permanent Defence Force with a particular focus on the Naval Service. The recently submitted report, with detailed recommendations, is being considered.
Furthermore, Government recently agreed to increase the maximum retirement age for PDF personnel to 60 years. This retention measure also facilitates an increase in the maximum recruitment age to 39 years for General Service Recruits, Cadets and certain specialists with effect from 29 March 2024.
A range of other retention measures, financial and non-financial, have also been introduced by Government such as a new Naval Service Patrol Duty allowance which doubles the previous allowance, the Air Corps service commitment scheme, tax measures and the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the PDF, in addition to significant progress on pay.
