asked the Minister for Defence the establishment and strength by corps and rank of each corps of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces as at 31 January 1977, 1980 and 1983.
Written Answers . - Defence Forces Statistics .
724.
: The information requested is being compiled, and if the Deputy will repeat the question in about a week's time the information will be furnished.
725.
asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces as at 31 July 1981, 31 July 1982 and 28 February 1983 in numerical terms and as a percentage of the establishment on those dates.
: The following is the information requested by the Deputy:
Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces (Officers and Men)
|
31/7/81 |
31/7/82 |
28/2/83 |
|
|
P.D.F: Establishment |
18,020 |
18,025 |
18,064 |
|
Strength |
14,404 |
14,525 |
14,149 |
|
Strength as a percentage of Establishment |
79.93% |
80.58% |
78.33% |
|
*First Line Reserve (Officers & Men) |
629 |
766 |
831 |
|
F.C.A.: Establishment |
22,214 |
22,214 |
22,214 |
|
Strength |
20,927 |
20,806 |
17,151 |
|
Strength as a percentage of Establishment |
94.21% |
93.66% |
77.21% |
|
Slua Muiri: Establishment |
675 |
675 |
675 |
|
Strength |
407 |
382 |
365 |
|
Strength as a percentage of Establishment |
60.30% |
56.59% |
54.07% |
* There is no Establishment for the First Line Reserve.
726.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will quantify the effects of cut-backs on the Reserve Defence Forces for 1983 in relation to: (1) recruitment; (2) paid courses, for example, potential officers/NCO's of two or more weeks duration; (3) paid week-end security duty; (4) issues of clothing and footwear; (5) field days in respect of subsistence at ex-barracks locations; (6) transport in relation to mileage on staff cars and station wagons; and (7) the number of personnel who will be allowed to proceed to camp this year.
: The information sought by the Deputy is as follows:
(1) Recruitment to An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil and An Slua Muirí has been suspended temporarily as part of the Government programme for achieving a reduction in the level of public expenditure in 1983.
(2) Potential officers' courses are conducted as required to maintain a pool of qualified personnel to fill vacancies as they arise. At present there are sufficient personnel so qualified. Potential NCO courses will continue to be conducted during 1983; the reduction in full-time training will be made up by additional week-end periods of training for potential NCOs.
(3) Paid week-end security duties are undertaken occasionally by FCA personnel to relieve Permanent Defence Force personnel for other operational commitments. These duties will be continued on a limited scale as required by the exigencies of the service.
(4) Issues of clothing and footwear are not expected to be affected.
(5) It is anticipated that the level of activity on field days will be approximately the same as in 1982. However, such field days will, as far as possible, be held at locations where the provision of rations is feasible.
(6) It is anticipated that expenditure on mileage in relation to field days and local training activities will be maintained at the same level as in 1982.
(7) Approximately 330 First Line Reservists and 9,000 Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil and Slua Muirí personnel will undergo annual training in 1983.