Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 1

Written Answers - Defence Forces Strength.

David Stanton

Ceist:

121 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Defence the number of commissioned officers of each rank who have left the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps respectively in each of the past three years; the circumstances under which commissioned officers ordinarily leave the Defences Forces; the numbers involved in each such category for the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3690/99]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

The details sought are shown in the following tables:

Retirements – Army, Naval Service, Air Corps 1996-1998.

1996

	Army	Naval Service	Air Corps	Total
Lt Gen
Maj Gen	1			1
Brig Gen Comd	1			1
Col Capt (NS)	6			6
Lt Col Cdr	10	5		15
Comdt Lt Cdr	40	6	4	50
Capt (Lt (NS)	45	1	7	53
Lt S/Lt	1			1
2/Lt Ens
Total	104	12	11	127

1997

	Army	Naval Service	Air Corps	Total
Lt Gen
Maj Gen
Brig Gen Comd	1			1
Col Capt (NS)	3			3
Lt Col Cdr	16	1		17
Comdt Lt Cdr	39	2	4	45
Capt Lt (NS)	48	5	8	61
Lt S/Lt
2/Lt Ens
Total	107	8	12	127

1998

	Army	Naval Service	Air Corps	Total
Lt Gen	1			1
Maj Gen	1			1
Brig Gen Comd	1			1
Col Capt (NS)	7	1		8
Lt Col Cdr	5		2	7
Comdt Lt Cdr	15	3	6	24
Capt (Lt (NS)	30	8	10	48
Lt S/Lt				1
2/Lt Ens
Total	60	12	18	90

Retirements by Category 1996-1998

	Resignation	Age	Vol	Ver	Death	Completion of Short Service Commission	Medical	Total
1996	1	19	39	63	2	2	1	127
1997		16	41	68	1	1		127
1998		21	68		1			90
Total	1	56	148	131	4	3	1	344

Vol= VoluntaryVER = Voluntary Early Retirement

Officers of the Defence Forces may retire in accordance with the provisions of the Defence Act, 1954, and the relevant Defence Force regulations, A15, which are available in the Library of the Houses of the Oireachtas. In the years 1996 to 1998 a number of officers were permitted to retire under the terms of a voluntary early retirement scheme.