Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 March 2017
212. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress to date in respect of proposed recruitment to the Defence Forces; the way in which each branch of the Defence Forces is likely to benefit from the recruitment programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15702/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel, as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence.
The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. As there is significant turnover of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force targeted recruitment has been and is currently taking place so as to maintain the agreed strength levels. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the Defence Forces are planning to induct 860 new entrants across all services and competition streams in 2017.
I am further advised that to date in 2017, a total of 106 General Service Recruits have been enlisted, of which 103 Recruits were enlisted in the Army and 3 Recruits were enlisted in the Naval Service. Recruitment will continue in 2017 from the panels formed following the 2016 General Service Recruitment competition, until they are exhausted. In addition, a new General Service Recruitment campaign was launched on 23 February 2017, as part of the Government’s commitment to maintain the strength of the Defence Forces at 9,500 personnel.
The intake of Cadets into the Permanent Defence Force is normally carried out on an annual basis, taking into consideration the operational requirements of the Defence Forces and the resource envelope allocated to Defence. The 2017 Cadetship competitions were launched on 22 March 2017. Cadetships will be available in the following streams in 2017: Army (Line, Equitation School & Engineer Corps), Naval Service (Operations Branch, Marine Engineer Branch and Electrical Engineering Branch) and Air Corps (Pilots).
Direct Entry Competitions are also held as required from which specialist appointments are filled. A recruitment campaign for the appointment of Direct Entry Naval Service Officers, in the Operations Branch, Marine Engineer Branch and Electrical Engineer Branch of the Naval Service, is currently on-going.
It is my intention that targeted recruitment, will continue to be carried out within the resource envelope allocated to Defence.
