As part of the Defence Forces review implementation plan, a voluntary early retirement scheme was introduced in 1996 for certain categories of personnel serving in the Permanent Defence Force. One of the aims of the scheme was to reduce the number of personnel in medical category C. Personnel in medical category C are suffering from some ailment or illness but are not below the level of fitness required to continue serving in the Defence Forces.
In 1996 personnel in one or more of the following categories who had at least one year's service were eligible to apply: personnel aged 50 and over by 31 December 1996; medical category C personnel; naval personnel who suffer from chronic sea sickness; members of the 46th to 53rd cadet classes and 3rd potential officers course.
Five hundred personnel were granted voluntary early retirement in 1996. Of these personnel 338 were in medical category C.
This year the voluntary early retirement scheme was launched on 12 February 1997 and applications closed on 28 February 1997. Personnel in one or more of the following categories who had at least one year's service were eligible to apply: medical category C personnel classified as such prior to 1 January 1997; enlisted personnel aged 40 and over by 31 December 1997; officers aged 40 and over by 31 December 1997; technical officers of the ordnance and engineers corps and members of the 46th to 53rd cadet classes and 3rd potential officers course.
This year 735 personnel were granted voluntary early retirement. Of these personnel 467 were medical category C.
Personnel who were medical category E, i.e. personnel who do not meet the required medical standard required to continue serving in the Defence Forces, were not eligible to apply for VER in 1996 or 1997. In 1996 and again this year the scheme was greatly oversubscribed and priority groups were established. These groupings were decided upon taking into consideration the requirements to achieve convergence in ranks and corps and to ensure that the taxpayer received value for the considerable amount of money being made available for the VER scheme. A board was established to evaluate all applications for VER. The board was made up of commissioned and non commissioned military personnel, a representative from the Department of Defence and a civilian with experience in this area.
Of the personnel enlisted in 1994 one was granted early retirement under the scheme. The extent and the details of a voluntary early retirement scheme for next year are under review. I expect provision to be made in the Estimates to allow over 300 personnel leave the Defence Forces under the VER scheme next year.
