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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 2

Written Answers. - Defence Act, 1998.

Gerry Reynolds

Ceist:

68 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Defence the benefits, if any, accrued to the Defence Forces with the implementation of the Defence Act, 1998. [9229/99]

In order to provide a greater focus on military effectiveness and efficiency the Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan, which was approved by Government in March 1996, proposed the reorganisation of the top level military structure. Legislative change was required to give effect to these proposals which had the full support of the military authorities.

Accordingly, the Defence (Amendment) Act, 1998, which came into effect on 1 October 1998, amended the Defence Act, 1954 to prescribe these changes. The appointments of adjutant-general and quartermaster-general have been replaced by two new appointments of Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) and Deputy Chief of Staff (Support). A new Defence Forces headquarters has been put in place. As a result there is now only one military element-branch in the Department, instead of the former three military branches, the head of which is the Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff now manages the full range of the military business of the Department and he is the sole military officer reporting directly to myself on military matters. The Chief of Staff has, with my approval, delegated duties to the deputy Chiefs of Staff.
In amending the Defence Act the opportunity was also availed of to amend an additional section of the Act. Heretofore, the number of personnel assigned to each staff, unit or other element of the Defence Forces together with the rank and title or designation of each and every person serving in the forces was prescribed individually, in laborious detail, in regulations. The military authorities could not create a new appointment, suppress an appointment or otherwise increase or decrease the strength of a staff, unit or other element or change the title or designation of any military appointment without referring the matter to myself for approval and for the formal amendment of the relevant Defence Force regulations. The effect of the change is to put an end to this superfluous layer of regulatory detail.
As a result of the amendment to the Act, Defence Force regulations simply prescribe the numerical establishment of the Defence Forces and the number in each rank, the maximum number of officers that may be paid professional pay as well as the maximum number of technicians and instructors in enlisted ranks. This gives the military authorities greater flexibility in enabling them to determine from time to time the strength of the various staffs, units and other elements of the forces and the title or designation of each military appointment within the prescribed overall strength of 11,500. It also facilitates the transfer or posting of personnel from time to time to areas of greatest need having regard to the operational requirements of the forces and to the exigencies of the service.
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