Edward Nealon
Ceist:4 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Defence the reason, in a recent advertisement for recruitment to a section of the Defence Forces, women were excluded.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Defence Forces Recruitment.
Proinsias De Rossa
Ceist:11 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence the reason no females will be included among the planned intake of apprentices to the Defence Forces; if he has received representations from the Employment Equality Agency regarding the exclusion of females from Defence Forces apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 11 together.
Apprentices in the Permanent Defence Force are required to live in barracks and due to the lack of suitable accommodation it has not been found possible to date to provide for an intake of female apprentices.
Since 1980 a total of 28 female cadets, 40 female recruits and nine specialist or technical officers were recruited to the Defence Forces. A further intake of about 30 female recruits will be enlisted in the near future.
A reply has been issued to the Employment Agency in relation to recent representations received from them.
I am agreeable in principle to the recruitment of female apprentices and it is my intention that when a competition for apprentices is next advertised it will provide for an intake of women.
As the Minister for Defence is well aware, we are in the era of equal opportunities employers. Does he not think it is a very bad example in this respect that the Department of Defence should issue an advertisement with no explanation such as the Minister has given now or any apology and seek only male recruits?
I think I have remedied that in my reply in which I state quite clearly that as far as the next advertisement is concerned for recruitment in regard to apprentices, females will be included and I will have the accommodation available for them. The Deputy and the House can be assured in that respect.
Does the Minister not think it would have been possible with all the facilities the Department of Defence have at their disposal to provide adequate accommodation? It seems that accommodation is the excuse being offered for not offering employment to female recruits.
The answer is a favourable answer, that this is now being done and when this is done it will mean the whole range of employment within the Defence Forces will be open to females. This was the only outstanding one with regard to apprentices. The accommodation is now being made available. When the next competition takes place the advertisement will seek applications from female applicants and the matter will proceed from there.
A Deputy
When will that be?
I do not know what the Deputy is——
Let us come to deal with another question. We are dealing now with priority questions to which a rigid time limit applies.
I am very grateful that this change has been made and I hope it has something to do with my question going down here; otherwise it might not have happened.
That is the value of parliamentary questions.
(Interruptions.)
Does the Minister not think it is very bad example for a potential Presidential candidate or a potential President not to offer equal opportunities?
I believe in the maintanance and development of the parliamentary tradition. The Deputy put down a question and has had it favourably answered.(Interruptions.)