Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 May 2012
159 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the amount of recruitment to the Defence Forces in 2011 and 2012; and the basis for the decision to take on extra personnel in view of the overall public sector recruitment embargo and closure of barracks. [24536/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has decided to accept my recommendation that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force will be maintained at 9,500. I believe that this is the optimum level required to fulfill all roles assigned by Government. The Military Authorities have advised that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 30 April, the latest date for which details are available, was 8,885 comprising 7,181 Army, 759 Air Corps and 945 Naval Service. I am further advised by the Military Authorities that a total of 494 General Service Recruits were enlisted into the Permanent Defence Force in 2011. In addition, there was an intake of 32 Cadets from the 2011 Cadetship competition. A further 29 general service recruits were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force up to 30 January 2012.
As the Permanent Defence Force is currently below the agreed serving cadre there will be phased recruitment of General Service Recruits in 2012 within the resource envelope allocated to Defence so as to maintain the Government approved strength of the Permanent Defence Force.
A recruitment competition was launched on Monday 2 April 2012, the closing date for which was 22 April 2012. Along with General Service recruitment a limited number of Instrumentalists will be enlisted in 2012. A Cadetship Competition was also advertised last week.
