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Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2010

Wednesday, 7 July 2010

Ceisteanna (296)

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

310 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the number of promotions approved or pending at all ranks in the Defence Forces; the numbers nominated but not yet approved; when approval is likely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30752/10]

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Freagraí scríofa

Resulting from the Government Decision regarding the reduction of public service numbers and the reduced budgetary provision available for 2009, recruitment, promotions and acting up appointments in the Permanent Defence Forces were suspended. However, in order to maintain the ongoing operational capability of the Defence Forces, a limited number of exceptions to the application of the measures to the Permanent Defence Force were sought in a submission to the Minister for Finance, in June 2009.

As was announced on the 24 November 2009, the Minister for Finance approved an allocation of 50 promotions, for the Permanent Defence Force. These promotions were approved to address priority operational and command requirements of the Permanent Defence Force.

Military Management reviewed existing vacancies in all ranks across the organisation as a whole, so as to prioritise those to be filled from the approved promotions.

Following on from this review, a total of 13 Officer promotions and 30 enlisted promotions have been completed to date. A further 4 enlisted promotions will be completed as soon as the administrative procedures relating to them have been completed. The residual 3 approved promotions will be used to fill priority posts as they arise.

Within the context of consolidating the public finances, the Government is firmly focused on maintaining the operational efficiency of the Permanent Defence Force. Government approval was secured in the context of Budget 2010 for a level of 10,000 all ranks. This reflects the reductions in personnel recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes.

Officials from the Department together with the Military Authorities are in the process of finalising a review of the structures and posts required to meet the operational requirements of the Permanent Defence Force, within the reduced numbers for submission to the Department of Finance. This will be completed shortly and discussions will then commence with the Department of Finance to agree an Employment Control Framework for the Defence Forces.

Once the Employment Control Framework has been agreed with the Department of Finance, numbers within each rank will be identified and sanction for promotion will be delegated to the Department of Defence, with ongoing control monitoring by the Department of Finance on a monthly basis, to ensure ongoing compliance with the overall parameters and controls set by Government for each sector. It will be necessary to underpin the re-organisation with the required amendments to Regulations and Admin Instructions. Until the Employment Control Framework has been agreed it is not possibly to quantify the number of promotions pending in the Permanent Defence Force.

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