asked the Minister for Defence if he will state whether steps have been taken to appoint a large number of new officers to the permanent Defence Forces; and, if so, if he will say how many such appointments it is proposed to make, and the intended date of appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of Army Officers.
As indicated in the White Paper on Demobilisation and Resettlement of Members of the Defence Forces, it is proposed to appoint approximately 600 officers to the Permanent Force. At this stage, however, I am not in a position to give specific information about the date or dates of appointment.
When is it proposed to ask for Parliamentary sanction for the expenditure involved?
Estimates come up every year.
Is not the Minister aware that he is now offering, as it were, a career to an additional 600 men by inviting them to join the army and does he not consider it would be advisable and necessary to get Parliamentary authority for such a plan before these young men are actually given their commissions in the army?
The legal authority to do it is provided in the Defence Acts.
Does the Minister give no consideration to Parliamentary responsibility for controlling finance and examining proposals that commit the Parliament to substantial expenditure in the future and has he considered also the Parliament's responsibility towards young men invited to enter on a career?
This Dáil has given the Government authority to have an army. If we are to have an army, we must have officers, and the Minister for Defence, in making provision for a number of officers for the future, is simply carrying out the authority given to him by the Dáil.