Austin Deasy
Ceist:16 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Defence the present complement of the FCA; the way in which this compares with the number ten years ago; and the number he would ideally wish to have in this voluntary body.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - FCA Membership.
John V. Farrelly
Ceist:17 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the present membership of the FCA; the number of units in the country; the number who attended summer camp in 1992; and the same numbers from each of the past five years.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
There are 52 units in the FCA comprising 15,212 members. At 31 August 1982 the strength of the FCA stood at 21,151 personnel. Up to 31 August this year 7,700 FCA personnel have attended annual training. It is expected that by 31 December next 8,075 personnel will have attended annual training. The numbers of personnel who have attended annual training in each of the last five years are as follows— 1987, 8,300; 1988, 8,335; 1989, 8,204; 1990, 8,100; 1991, 8,175.
Having regard to the duties assigned to the FCA I consider that the current strength is satisfactory.
The Minister has indicated in his reply a drop of 6,000 in the number of people serving in the FCA. Indeed the latter part of his answer would seem to indicate that he is happy with that decrease in numbers. Is that so?
Happiness is not something I predicate of myself very often. I want to let the Deputy know that from 1982 to 1987 there was a drop in the FCA of approximately 5,200. Since then there has been an infinitesimal percentage of a drop, the numbers now standing at 15,212 members.
Is the Minister aware that there is some concern among people active in the FCA and on the part of people training the FCA from the permanent Defence Force about a directive issued by the Minister's Department, or himself, to the effect that the numbers of trainers — that is trainers from the permanent Army — should be reduced by 25 per cent?
We had a question on that already and dealt with it before the Deputy came into the Chamber. There was a recommendation in the Gleeson Report about the PDF personnel involved in the training of the FCA. The statistics speak for themselves. Since 1987 we have kept up the numbers and train a substantial number each year. That is not to say that I am complacent about the funding of the FCA. I would like to be able to invest more money in the force but the approximate 900 personnel, as emerged from an earlier question, involved in the training of the FCA cost the State an annual £16 million.
It is money well spent.
It is.
Would the Minister say whether he is prepared to initiate a recruitment drive for the FCA to bring their numbers back to previous levels? He has given figures of a continuous reduction since 1982. Is he prepared to initiate a recruitment campaign and increase their numbers to their previous levels? Second, in connection with their duties would the Minister say on what basis — rotation members are trained? The Minister mentioned 8,000 this year, or up to the end of August in the region of 7,700. Would the Minister say with what frequency members are trained?
With regard to recruitment I should say that the Government of which Deputy Deasy was an efficient and honourable member reduced the FCA by 5,200 approximately. In 1987 the figures stood at 15,000-plus and have remained at that level. In the last sentence of my reply I indicated that, having regard to the duties assigned to the FCA, I considered that their current strength was satisfactory.
I know there are criteria laid down, that if members of the FCA meet those criteria they are eligible for the course of training in any particular year and that, if they have not participated in so many parades and so on, they are excluded. I cannot answer the Deputy as to whether that is rotated or whether the remainder of the people who were not called, say, this year will be called next year.
Would the Minister agree that there has been a constant chipping away at the FCA by successive Governments' policies to the extent that, in many cases, the members feel that the end of the force is in sight? Furthermore, would he agree that the figure given of 8,000 does not reflect proper man hours in so far as their annual training is and has been reduced in recent years to one week? Finally would he agree that it is not possible to give any reasonable level of training, nor will it ever be, to FCA personnel within a period of one week in an annual training camp?
In past years I would say that the week's training would not have been sufficient but the Deputy should remember it is a week's training in camp in addition to the training which takes place throughout the year and the other training courses individual members may have attended.
With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question I would feel I was not doing my duty if the FCA were not properly appreciated in my Department for the work they are doing and have been doing. I might add that there is no intention on the part of my Department or the military forces, the PDF, to downgrade the FCA in any way. In fact I subscribe to the strong theory that the force is as important as the PDF. I should say I am having a study conducted of the military system in Switzerland where the strong, efficient Army — of course aided by mountains — are recruited on similar lines to our FCA. I know there have been some rumblings of discontent in Switzerland as well but my thinking is along those lines.
Will the Minister say if there is a curtailment on recruitment or is every suitable applicant who applies accepted into the FCA nowadays?
That is not a question I could answer for the entire country. All I can say is that their strength is being maintained at 15,000-plus.
The Minister mentioned that when my party were in Government between 1982 and 1987 the figure was reduced from 20,000 to 15,000. Is the Minister telling us that he concurs with the decision made then, that he is not prepared to make his own decision and increase the numbers?
All I did was read out the facts and I hope they do not irritate the Deputy. The figure is 15,000-plus, and it is my considered view, and that of the Department, that that is an adequate number to perform the duties.
Therefore, Deputy Deasy's decision was right.