Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:1463. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the estimated cost in increasing the Reserve Defence Forces to 5,500. [19543/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 2 May 2017
Ceisteanna (1463)
Freagraí scríofa
The White Paper on Defence sets out a developmental path for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). It provides that the overarching establishment of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) will be 4,169 personnel, consisting of 3,869 Army Reservists and the expansion of the establishment of the four NSR Units from currently 200 personnel to 300. The current total strength for the Reserve Defence Force (as of 28 February 2017) is 1,970 effective personnel and subhead A5 provides for a budget €2.115 million for paid training. The budget is sufficient having regard to the existing strength of the AR and NSR. To increase the numbers in the Reserve to 5,500 would add an additional indicative amount of €3,789,822.34 to subhead A5. It should be noted that providing for numbers beyond the current establishment would require a reappraisal of organisational structures and levels and costs of PDF support required and given the establishment set in the White Paper and the current reserve recruitment challenges, such an increase is not envisaged.