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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Nov 1983

Vol. 345 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Permanent Defence Force.

25.

(Clare) asked the Minister for Defence the establishment figure and actual strength of the Permanent Defence Force in each command; whether any changes are proposed in the present recruitment policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

26.

(Clare) asked the Minister for Defence the establishment figure and actual strength of the Women's Corps; whether any changes are proposed in the present recruitment policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

27.

asked the Minister for Defence when he proposes to commence recruitment to the Army; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

28.

asked the Minister for Defence when he proposes to recommence further recruitment to the (a) Army, (b) Naval Service and (c) Air Corps; and if recruitment will recommence before 29 December 1983, 31 January or 29 February 1984.

29.

asked the Minister for Defence when he expects to recruit another contingent for the armed forces.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 to 29, inclusive, together.

As part of the reply is in the form of a tabular statement I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.

Three hundred and thirty male recruits were enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force in August-September this year to fill vacancies in the units with the most pressing strength deficiencies. I am having the question of a further intake of recruits (male and female) kept under review in the light of current strengths and commitments. It is not possible at this stage to say when further enlistments will take place.

Establishment and Strength of PDF by Command as on 30 September 1983

East

Curragh

South

West

Total

Establishment

6,835

4,003

3,931

3,295

18,064

Strength

5,181

3,143

3,144

2,727

14,195

There is no separate establishment or Corps for female personnel. The total strength of female personnel on 30 September 1983 was 60.

(Clare): While I appreciate that the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, could the Minister give some indication as to the difference between the establishment and the present strength.

The total establishment is 18,064 and the strength on 20 September last was 14,195.

(Clare): Is this not an appropriate time to extend recruiting, or to resume recruiting, in view of the big number of people, male and female, who are very anxious to join the Defence Forces? As an example, in the original recruitment to the ranks for the Women's Corps there were over 3,000 applications and all were interviewed. In view of the present situation, it is a most appropriate time to recruit further people and give them an opportunity to be trained as apprentices or otherwise within the Defence Forces. Very many of them probably would like a military career. It is the ideal moment to get really good class people into the Defence Forces, as are already there.

As Minister for Defence I sympathise with what the Deputy suggests, but as one of a Government with collective responsibility for the economic situation I would have to be careful about going down the road that was travelled some distance previously of ending the unemployment situation by increasing the number in the public service. Obviously there are constraints, financial constraints, on rapidly or widely expanding recruiting. I sympathise with the point of view raised by the Deputy, in particular with regard to the expansion of the apprenticeship training scheme which I am having examined at the moment.

(Clare): Could the Minister give any indication as to when recruiting might restart? Many people are waiting to see if it is going to start.

I cannot give any indication at the moment at to when recruiting will commence. As the Deputy knows, in this current year recruiting did not commence until August-September when we recruited to fill wastage which had occurred during the year, I am not in a position to say what exactly will take place in the current year.

What is the Government's reason for keeping the Army 4,000 under strength?

As the Deputy will recall from his time as Minister for Defence, the establishment figure is the lawful numbers that can be recruited up to. To my knowledge that establishment is never actually maintained. It is the legal limit to which one can go. Over the years the strength has been below the establishment — for instance, in 1972 the strength was 14,200 and since then it was 10,600. In 1981 there was a reduction to 14,184. Therefore the actual strength at the moment is in line with the actual strength for the last decade or so.

Would the Minister not accept, in view of the United Nations service in the Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East, that continuously approximately 800 members of the Defence Forces are away on UN service and that for that reason the strength of the Army here is well below the figure which the Minister now quotes?

That United Nations obligation has been with us since 1978.

The actual numbers were increased following that commitment. In fact, in 1980 the actual strength decreased, but nevertheless the actual strength bears to the establishment the same ratio as it has always borne and this is adequate to enable us to fulfil our United Nations obligations.

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