Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 21 Oct 1993

Vol. 434 No. 10

Written Answers. - Defence Forces' Strength.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

26 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Permanent Defence Force by rank, command, brigade, corps and unit; and the increase and decrease in each rank over the past five years at 1 January for each year.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Andrews)

As the information requested is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.

PDF Strength 1 Jan 1989	L/Gn	M/Gn	B/Gn	Col	Lt/Col	Com	Cap	Lt	2/Lt	BS	BQ	CS	CQ	Sgt	Cpls	Ptes	Total
Staffs	1	2	4	15	41	87	82	6	1	0	5	19	43	127	107	178	718
Infantry	0	0	2	0	15	95	130	74	25	11	9	43	142	411	850	2,667	4,474
Artillery	0	0	0	3	5	25	41	27	0	4	4	12	36	121	117	494	889
Cavalry	0	0	0	0	2	19	27	20	4	1	1	7	8	82	74	391	636
Engineer	0	0	0	1	4	22	37	12	0	1	1	5	9	46	62	319	519
Signals	0	0	0	0	4	16	23	19	5	1	1	15	10	75	112	241	522
Ordnance	0	0	0	1	7	34	16	10	0	0	7	18	15	120	75	184	487
Supp & Tpt	0	0	0	1	3	19	30	21	4	0	1	11	15	79	123	374	681
Medical	0	0	0	1	9	8	23	0	1	3	2	6	14	51	63	149	330
Mill Police	0	0	0	0	3	14	10	9	0	3	1	14	13	71	289	10	437
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	8	18	47	35	15	4	4	41	12	88	132	422	828
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	7	29	37	47	5	6	4	62	12	160	154	404	930
Observer	0	0	0	0	1	4	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	6	3	0	18
Spec Estb	0	0	0	3	14	32	55	21	6	11	10	17	25	216	177	459	1,046
UNIFIL	0	0	0	0	4	15	19	16	0	0	2	8	16	62	138	421	701
Totals	1	2	8	28	127	437	578	317	66	45	52	279	372	1,715	2,476	6,713	13,216
Eastern	1	2	2	14	49	152	198	81	10	11	16	77	105	588	786	1,992	4,084
Southern	0	0	1	2	12	68	71	42	8	4	6	26	86	237	375	1,129	2,067
Western	0	0	1	2	10	68	84	46	11	5	6	28	82	265	456	1,440	2,504
Curragh	0	0	2	7	39	102	139	65	17	15	16	48	72	380	569	1,321	2,792
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	9	18	48	36	15	4	4	41	14	89	135	427	842
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	8	29	38	47	5	6	4	59	13	156	155	393	927

PDF Strength 1 Jan 1990	L/Gn	M/Gn	B/Gn	Col	Lt/Col	Com	Cap	Lt	2/Lt	BS	BQ	CS	CQ	Sgt	Cpls	Ptes	Total
Staffs	1	2	5	21	47	99	63	6	0	0	3	20	47	121	104	183	722
Infantry	0	0	1	2	18	119	126	62	23	11	10	42	152	429	874	2,336	4,205
Artillery	0	0	0	4	8	28	36	19	3	4	5	11	37	120	119	436	830
Cavalry	0	0	0	1	2	20	22	16	5	1	0	8	10	82	82	359	608
Engineer	0	0	0	1	6	19	32	9	0	1	1	5	11	49	62	293	489
Signals	0	0	0	2	5	17	21	18	3	0	0	16	10	69	130	236	527
Ordnance	0	0	0	1	9	32	13	8	0	0	6	16	15	127	84	153	454
Supp & Tpt	0	0	0	1	4	23	26	21	1	1	1	11	16	75	135	368	683
Medical	0	0	0	1	11	11	20	0	1	3	2	7	14	51	64	158	343
Mill Police	0	0	0	1	4	14	11	5	0	3	1	12	13	85	316	12	477
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	10	27	46	30	19	5	3	43	14	80	141	387	807
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	8	32	58	21	5	6	3	67	15	147	156	362	883
Observer	0	0	0	1	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	6	2	0	17
Spec Estb	0	0	1	3	13	35	44	23	4	11	13	17	22	216	169	450	1,021
UNIFIL	0	0	0	0	3	14	22	15	0	2	4	5	17	58	140	427	707
Totals	1	2	9	42	148	493	541	253	64	48	52	281	396	1,705	2,578	6,160	12,773
Eastern	1	2	3	20	53	173	168	74	10	12	17	73	114	590	782	1,795	3,887
Southern	0	0	1	4	13	65	73	34	5	4	6	26	91	245	426	1,018	2,011
Western	0	0	1	3	16	78	73	33	11	5	7	30	85	270	509	1,340	2,461
Curragh	0	0	2	12	47	115	122	61	14	16	15	44	77	373	560	1,251	2,709
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	10	29	46	30	19	5	3	44	14	31	141	393	817
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	9	33	59	21	5	6	4	64	15	146	160	363	888

PDF Strength 1 Jan 1991	L/Gn	M/Gn	B/Gn	Col	Lt/Col	Com	Cap	Lt	2/Lt	BS	BQ	CS	CQ	Sgt	Cpls	Ptes	Total
Staffs	1	2	4	21	48	103	73	3	0	0	5	19	46	127	97	186	735
Infantry	0	0	1	3	21	119	127	55	20	11	11	41	156	412	840	2,525	4,342
Artillery	0	0	0	2	6	26	39	10	5	5	5	13	32	122	107	462	834
Cavalry	0	0	0	2	4	18	22	12	6	1	1	8	9	91	78	374	626
Engineer	0	0	0	1	7	23	24	8	0	1	1	5	11	54	62	303	500
Signals	0	0	0	2	5	19	19	17	1	1	1	15	9	66	128	252	535
Ordnance	0	0	0	1	8	34	13	3	0	0	6	16	16	111	86	155	449
Supp & Tpt	0	0	0	1	3	22	34	17	3	1	1	9	16	74	138	375	694
Medical	0	0	0	1	11	13	18	1	0	3	2	6	13	49	63	164	344
Mill Police	0	0	0	1	4	15	12	3	0	3	1	14	15	73	308	23	472
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	11	25	48	33	14	5	3	43	12	77	145	424	842
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	10	31	62	15	4	6	5	70	12	161	169	439	987
Observer	0	0	0	1	1	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	6	3	0	19
Spec Estb	0	0	1	3	13	35	55	23	1	12	12	19	27	218	175	469	1,063
UNIFIL	0	0	0	0	2	17	22	14	0	0	2	15	16	54	134	433	709
Totals	1	2	8	42	154	503	569	214	54	49	56	294	393	1,695	2,533	6,584	13,151
Eastern	1	2	3	20	55	183	169	61	13	13	18	79	118	585	746	1,908	3,974
Southern	0	0	0	3	15	69	75	23	3	4	6	27	91	242	401	1,015	1,974
Western	0	0	1	3	14	81	80	32	6	5	7	30	85	269	491	1,441	2,545
Curragh	0	0	2	13	49	111	132	49	14	16	17	47	72	364	575	1,347	2,808
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	11	27	48	34	14	5	3	44	14	78	146	431	857
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	10	32	65	15	4	6	5	67	13	157	174	442	993

PDF Strength 1 Jan 1992	L/Gn	M/Gn	B/Gn	Col	Lt/Col	Com	Cap	Lt	2/Lt	BS	BQ	CS	CQ	Sgt	Cpls	Ptes	Total
Staffs	1	2	5	19	40	99	67	2	0	0	5	21	45	135	107	185	733
Infantry	0	0	1	3	22	126	148	45	30	11	10	43	148	419	844	2,400	4,250
Artillery	0	0	0	5	5	25	48	7	6	4	5	11	36	120	108	419	799
Cavalry	0	0	0	1	4	18	22	14	6	1	1	7	11	85	80	360	610
Engineer	0	0	0	1	5	22	25	18	0	1	1	4	11	50	65	305	508
Signals	0	0	0	0	7	16	25	11	6	1	1	15	11	67	133	241	534
Ordnance	0	0	0	1	8	34	14	8	0	0	7	15	15	117	82	152	453
Supp & Tpt	0	0	0	1	2	17	35	16	2	1	1	10	18	71	139	376	689
Medical	0	0	0	1	10	10	24	1	0	3	2	7	15	48	72	150	343
Mill Police	0	0	0	1	1	16	10	2	0	3	1	10	14	67	296	22	443
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	10	24	53	32	13	4	3	46	14	85	141	455	882
Naval Serv	0	0	1	1	10	32	66	8	6	6	5	69	14	167	199	398	982
Observer	0	0	0	1	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	5	2	0	17
Spec Estb	0	0	1	3	11	32	56	19	3	11	12	19	26	225	180	434	1,022
UNIFIL	0	0	0	0	2	19	24	11	0	3	2	12	13	61	129	428	704
Totals	1	2	9	39	137	493	618	194	72	49	56	290	395	1,722	2,577	6,325	12,969
Eastern	1	2	3	20	50	183	192	55	18	13	18	76	116	591	812	1,763	3,913
Southern	0	0	1	3	12	71	79	22	8	4	6	27	91	240	379	999	1,942
Western	0	0	1	3	11	79	90	24	10	5	7	28	85	269	475	1,402	2,489
Curragh	0	0	2	11	43	102	136	53	17	16	17	46	74	362	566	1,296	2,741
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	11	26	54	32	13	5	3	46	14	85	142	462	895
Naval Serv	0	0	1	1	10	32	67	8	6	6	5	67	15	155	203	403	989

PDF Strength 1 Jan 1993	L/Gn	M/Gn	B/Gn	Col	Lt/Col	Com	Cap	Lt	2/Lt	BS	BQ	CS	CQ	Sgt	Cpls	Ptes	Total
Staffs	1	2	5	21	49	86	75	2	0	0	5	21	45	129	109	182	732
Infantry	0	1	0	2	20	111	151	60	38	11	11	42	148	404	838	2,295	4,132
Artillery	0	0	0	3	6	21	50	8	10	5	4	13	37	118	113	398	786
Cavalry	0	0	0	0	6	13	25	11	8	1	1	8	11	81	80	340	585
Engineer	0	0	0	1	7	21	28	13	0	1	1	4	12	52	60	316	516
Signals	0	0	0	1	5	14	28	8	6	1	1	15	8	74	133	245	539
Ordnance	0	0	0	0	8	36	13	5	0	0	6	17	16	115	87	179	482
Supp & Tpt	0	0	0	1	2	21	39	11	3	1	1	12	17	72	137	374	691
Medical	0	0	0	1	10	13	20	0	0	3	2	5	14	48	69	153	338
Mill Police	0	0	0	2	2	11	12	0	0	3	1	11	14	61	299	15	431
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	11	21	53	36	14	4	4	45	14	99	149	454	906
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	10	30	68	13	2	6	4	68	15	181	186	413	999
Observer	0	0	0	1	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	6	2	0	18
Spec Estb	0	0	1	2	14	25	58	13	4	10	4	20	25	218	185	429	1,018
UNIFIL	0	0	0	0	3	19	31	11	0	1	1	10	12	54	118	387	647
Totals	1	3	8	38	153	445	652	191	85	47	56	292	392	1,712	2,565	6,180	12,820
Eastern	1	3	2	19	56	156	195	52	22	12	17	70	109	557	777	1,692	3,740
Southern	0	0	1	2	13	67	78	23	12	4	6	27	91	243	381	965	1,913
Western	0	0	1	3	13	70	96	23	16	5	7	29	86	264	459	1,373	2,445
Curragh	0	0	2	11	49	98	152	43	19	16	17	45	75	352	577	1,237	2,693
Air Corps	0	0	1	1	12	24	61	37	14	4	4	54	16	115	184	495	1,022
Naval Serv	0	0	1	2	10	30	70	13	2	6	5	67	15	181	187	418	1,007

Note

It is not the practice to disclose details of the strength of operational formations (e.g. Brigades and Units) of the Permanent Defence Force.

List of Abbreviations: PDF STREN. — Permanent Defence Force strength; L/GN — Lieutenant-General; M/GN — Major-General; B/GN — Brigadier— General; COL — Colonel; LT/COL — Lieutenant-Colonel; COM — Commandant; CAP — Captain; LT — Lieutenant; 2/LT — Second-Lieutenant; BS — Battalion Sergeant Major; BQ — Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant; CS — Company Sergeant; CQ — Company Quartermaster Sergeant; SGT — Sergeant; CPL — Corporal; PTE — Private; SUPP & TPT — Supply and Transport; MILL POLICE — Military Police; NAVAL SERV — Naval Service; SPECIAL ESTB — Special Establishments; UNIFIL — United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon.