I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 18 and 22 together. A total of 15 women have been recruited to the Permanent Defence Force to date in 1991. Of this total seven were apprentices, six were cadets, one was a dental officer and one a chemist.
The number of women enlisted in the FCÁ to date is 196. The enlistment of a further four women is currently in progress. This will bring the total of female FCÁ personnel to 200.
The female FCÁ recruits are being assigned to an FCÁ basic training course the syllabus for which is the same in all respects as that used for male FCÁ recruits. Women in the FCÁ will fill a range of appointments subject to the same restrictions that apply to women serving in the Permanent Defence Force whereby women do not serve in appointments which would require them to undertake operational duties. In practice this means that women will be mainly employed in service corps units such as signals, supply and transport, military policy and the medical corps.
A military board is at present carrying out a review of the whole question of the employment of women in the Defence Forces.