Vol. 449 No. 5
8 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Permanent Defence forces; the establishment figure for the Permanent Defence forces for all ranks in each year since 1970; the proposals, if any, he has to reduce the establishment figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3981/95]
As the statistical data requested is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it in the Official Report. The establishment figures are a notional concept and have never been attained. The strength figures are related to the actual requirements of the Defence Forces to carry out their allotted tasks at home and abroad. In that regard the Deputy will be aware that a review of the organisation and structure of the Defence Forces has been carried out by the Efficiency Audit Group — EAG — whose report which was submitted to the Department of the Taoiseach in late December 1994, has not yet been considered by the Government.
Strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 December 1994
|
Officers |
1,558 |
|
NCOs |
4,997 |
|
Privates |
6,315 |
|
Cadets |
65 |
|
Total |
12,935 |
Permanent Defence Force Establishment on 31 December
|
Year* |
Officers |
NCOs |
Privates |
Total |
|
1969 |
1,382 |
3,754 |
7,932 |
13,068 |
|
1974 |
1,463 |
4,117 |
8,672 |
14,252 |
|
1979 |
1,639 |
5,370 |
9,580 |
16,589 |
|
1983 |
1,859 |
6,193 |
10,184 |
18,236 |
|
1984 |
1,851 |
5,923 |
10,184 |
17,958 |
|
1985 |
1,849 |
5,911 |
10,086 |
17,846 |
|
1986 |
1,883 |
5,982 |
10,109 |
17,974 |
|
1987 |
1,888 |
5,983 |
10,109 |
17,980 |
|
1988 |
1,888 |
5,983 |
10,109 |
17,980 |
|
1989 |
1,888 |
5,983 |
10,109 |
17,980 |
|
1990 |
1,895 |
5,982 |
10,101 |
17,978 |
|
1991 |
1,895 |
5,984 |
10,098 |
17,977 |
|
1992 |
1,886 |
5,984 |
10,098 |
17,968 |
|
1993 |
1,883 |
5,985 |
10,098 |
17,966 |
|
1994 |
1,883 |
5,985 |
10,098 |
17,966 |
*The figures for the period from 1969 to 1983 are at five year intervals as the figures for each year are not readily available.
I join other Members in wishing the Minister well in his new position and hope his term in office will be a pleasant one.
Will the Minister confirm figures quoted in this morning's newspapers on a reduction in the Defence Forces? I observed a reduction from 13,200 to 8,200, an enormous reduction in personnel numbers which would have an adverse effect on the structures within the Army and from the point of view of personnel having to be transferred from one region to another, irrespective of marital status and so on. Did the Minister consult with representative bodies of the Army before the report of the Efficiency Audit Group was submitted?
Decisions have not been taken but I should like to allay the Deputy's fears, in that there is no substance to the suggestion that the personnal numbers within the Defence Forces will be reduced under any proposal this Government would accept along the lines referred to in today's papers. I can assure him that will not happen. While I cannot tell the Deputy what the actual numbers will be, they certainly will not be as low as those reported. I shall be meeting both Army representative bodies later today to engage in discussions and obtain their views.
I welcome that reassurance.Has the Minister decided on any retirement package for Army personnel who have reached that stage?
That is probably the single most important issue overall. Any required adjustment of personnel numbers — for reasons related to the question just posed — is because the average age of our Army personnel is too high. A decent retirement package needs to be devised which would be a very significant element in considering the recommendations in the Efficiency Audit Group report.
The Minister's predecessor gave a commitment to recommence recruitment this year. Will he say whether he will honour that commitment?
In fairness I should say my predecessor made no commitment on my behalf. The intention is that we would take in new recruits this year. I cannot give the precise number or exact date, but that is the intention. It is a two-pronged agenda in that we must create a favourable incentive for older personnel to retire and, at the same time, take on recruits regularly, at school leaving age and so on. Otherwise we will never attain the correct age balance.I too am committed but I cannot inform the Deputy when we shall take in such recruits or their precise number just yet.
I accept that the Minister is committed but it would appear that the remainder of his colleagues sitting around the Cabinet table are not as committed as he. We have an ageing force and the practice of stop/start recruitment is very disruptive to proper manpower planning. Would the Minister agree that there must be a policy of regular recruitment to eliminate the "Dad's Army" spectre, that what we need is a highly trained, well armed, mobile force necessitating regular recruitment?
I can guarantee there will be recruitment this year. I do not know how many will be recruited or when the recruitment campaign will begin, but I will have that information at an early date.
I had intended asking a similar question to that asked by Deputy Power. There is a vast difference in the average age of troops sent overseas for peace-keeping duties and those sent to Iraq during the Desert Storm operation. I suggest that a recruitment campaign should not be undertaken on a once-off basis, but every year to help drastically reduce the average age of our troops.
The advice we have got through the review process is in agreement with the Deputy's suggestion that we must have new recruits each year. A recruitment campaign combined with an early retirement package for older members will help reduce the average age of personnel in the Defence Forces and that is what we are aiming to do.
Will the Minister confirm that the system put in place last year regarding the five year contracts will be continued in respect of those recruited this year or does he intend to revert to permanent contracts for recruits to the Defence Forces?
I believe five year contracts will apply.
