Vol. 403 No. 2
5 Mr. Bell asked the Taoiseach if, in relation to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 16 May 1989, he will outline in relation to the second line reserve, the progress achieved by the Defence policy review in relation to the officer rank structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
6 Mr. Bell asked the Taoiseach if, in relation to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 16 May 1989 he will outline whether the appointment of area commander still exists, and, if so, the number in command holding such appointments at 31 October 1990; the range of duties envisaged for this appointment and the number holding the dual appointments of sub-unit commander; the number of officers who hold the single appointment of company/sub-unit commander differentiating between those who hold the appointment at the rank of commandant and those who hold the rank of (a) captain and (b) lieutenant as at 31 October 1990; the number of second-in-command appointments by corps and command (a) vacant, (b) held by captains and (c) lieutenants as at 31 October 1990; the number of area commanders appointments as at 31 October 1990 by corps and command; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
7 Mr. Bell asked the Taoiseach if, in relation to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 16 May 1989 he will outline whether the permanent Defence Force unit structure, in so far as infantry units are concerned, will be implemented in FCA battalions in 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 6 and 7 together.
Following consideration of military proposals in the matter the officer rank structure in An Forsa Cosanta Áitiúil was reorganised in 1989 in order to bring it more into line with the structure in the Permanent Defence Force. The main features of the restructuring were: the upgrading of the company commander appointments in the Infantry Corps from captain to commandant — a total of 83 appointments; the upgrading of the staff officer appointments in the corps units in the cavalry, signal, supply and transport, medical and military police corps from captain to commandant — a total of 21 appointments; the consequential upgrading of the second-in-command appointments in the infantry companies and appointments in the relevant corps units from lieutenant to captain; and the gradual phasing out of the commandant appointments of area commander and the redistribution of those appointments as the company commander and staff officer appointments already referred to.
The organisation also involved the redeployment of a number of commandant appointments from command FCA staffs. The appointment of area commander was deleted from FCA establishments and the officers who held sole appointments of area commander were gradually absorbed into the new structure.
On 31 October 1990 there were 101 commandants and ten captains holding appointments of company commander. No lieutenants held such appointments. The other information sought by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
The number of second-in-command appointments vacant and held by captains and lieutenants on 31 October 1990, is as follows:
|
Corps |
Eastern Command Appointments |
Southern Command Appointments |
Western Command Appointments |
Curragh Command Appointments |
||||||||
|
Vacant captains |
Held by lieutenants |
Held by lieutenants |
Vacant |
Held by captains |
Held by lieutenants |
Vacant |
Held by captains |
Held by lieutenants |
Vacant |
Held by captains |
Held by lieutenants |
|
|
Infantry |
2 |
14 |
2 |
— |
26 |
2 |
4 |
19 |
3 |
— |
10 |
— |
|
Cavalry |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Engineer |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Signal |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Supply and Transport |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Medical |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
2 |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Military Police |
— |
— |
2 |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Artillery |
— |
3 |
— |
— |
7 |
— |
1 |
4 |
— |
— |
3 |
— |
8 Mr. Bell asked the Taoiseach if, in relation to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 16 May 1989 he will outline the number of officers who were promoted as a result of the statement of a former Minister on 30 April 1989 at Skibbereen in (a) 1989 (b) 1990 to date and (c) anticipated for 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The restructuring of the officer ranks of the FCA did not result in any promotions in 1989. To date in 1990 it has resulted in the promotion of 22 captains to the rank of commandant and 29 lieutenants to the rank of captain. At this stage it is not anticipated that it will lead to any promotions in 1991.
9 Mr. Bell asked the Taoiseach if, in relation to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 16 May 1989 he will outline the critria for promotion for second line officers, who have not received an adverse confidential report in the previous five years for (i) lieutenant, captain and commandant, (ii) the number of officers by rank, corps, command who fulfilled the criteria as at 31 October 1990 and who have not been promoted and whether they have been advised of the reason they have not been promoted, (iii) whether second-in-command appointments should result in promotion to captain, despite other service lieutenants having suitable service and seniority, (iv) the number of officers by rank, corps and command who have been promoted in the period 12 October 1989 to 31 October 1990, (v) the number of officers who hold the appointment of infantry company second-in-command who are (a) captains and (b) lieutenants, (vi) whether successful completion of military courses has a specific reference in the criteria for promotion, (vii) the number of second-in-command vacancies still left unfilled as referred to in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 89 of 14 November 1989, (viii) the number of FCÁSlua Muirí officers who (a) resigned in 1988, 1989 and 1990 and (b) were given an adverse annual confidential report in 1988, 1989 and 1990; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy at an early date.
We now come to deal with questions nominated for priority to which 15 minutes only are provided in the Standing Orders of this House.
