Seán Haughey
Ceist:163 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Defence the number of men and the number of women who will be recruited to the Permanent Defence Forces under the 1994 recruitment campaign.
Written Answers. - Defence Forces Recruitment.
Five hundred (500) recruits will shortly be enlisted in the Permanent Defence Forces. The Naval Service are being assigned eighty (80) male personnel while the remaining four hundred and twenty (420) places are open to both men and women. The Government are committed to a policy of equal opportunity for women within the Defence Forces and to the full participation of women in all aspects of Defence Forces activity including operational duties. In assessing the suitability of applicants, women will be considered on an equal basis with men. In other words the basis of selection will be suitability rather than gender. There was a female member of the Defence Forces on each interview board.