Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Reserve.

John Gormley

Ceist:

182 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Defence his views on whether a special medal should be struck to mark the event of the standing down of the FCÁ; that it should be awarded to all current members of the force and to all those retired members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12393/00]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

Members of the second line reserve, which consists of An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil and An Slua Muirí, are awarded An Bonn Seirbhíse, the Service Medal, on completing seven years' satisfactory service. A bar is added to the medal on completing 12 years' satisfactory service and a second bar on completing 21 years' satisfactory service.

Service in the second line reserve is rendered on a voluntary part-time basis. Specific Defence Forces regulations apply to the organisation and administration of that body. These provide for such matters as the assessment of conduct during service on a broader and more general basis than would be appropriate in relation to the Permanent Defence Force. However, members of the second line reserve and the Permanent Defence Force are treated similarly in that completion of a specified period of satisfactory service is recognised by the award of service medals and bars. The relevant periods required in the case of the second line reserve compare very favourably with those required of members of the Permanent Defence Force.

The restructuring of the Reserve Defence Forces is an ongoing process. As you may be aware, the White Paper on the Defence Forces states that there has been an acceptance of the steering group report as the general basis on which the development of the Reserve Defence Force can proceed. I have previously stated my intention of carrying out further wide ranging consultation with stakeholders in this process. Matters such as changes in units designation will be decided in the course of bringing forward an implementation plan. The military board report has suggested the restructuring should take place over a period of nine years, broken into three year phases. There will be a gradual evolution from the present structure to the new organisation. Standing down is probably not an appropriate description of this process in relation to the whole organisation, though it might be so in the case of some units.

It is normal where units are stood down, amalgamated or re-designed that the occasion is marked by appropriate military ceremony. I have no doubt that this will be the case in the current process including a suitable ceremony to mark the name change from An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil to An Cultaca Airm.

The military authorities have not recommended the provision of a medal for all past members on the grounds of cost and practical difficulties attached to processing the many thousands of ex-members. However, if such a measure was to be considered, it should be confined to members serving on a specific date.