Eoin Ó Broin
Ceist:1482. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there is a procedure whereby a person (details supplied) can rejoin the Naval Service despite now being over the age limit. [20186/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 2 May 2017
Ceisteanna (1482)
Freagraí scríofa
In accordance with Defence Forces Regulation A10, a General Service applicant for the Naval Service must be under 27 years of age on the closing date for receipt of applications. As the individual referred to by the Deputy is 28 years of age he is above the age limit to apply to join the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), irrespective of previous service. Age limits are determined on the basis that the essential functions of the PDF requires that its members be composed of able-bodied personnel of an age which is commensurate with the functional requirements of the organisation as a whole.
The Defence Forces have an ongoing objective of ensuring an appropriate age profile through continuous recruitment and congruent manpower planning, training and development and career management strategies. Given the health and fitness requirements for Privates and recruits to the Defence Forces, I do not believe that it would serve the Defence Forces or the individual recruits well to increase the current age limits.
However, I wish to advise the Deputy that the upper age limit for recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) under Defence Forces Regulation R5 is 35 years of age. Additionally, the age limit for former members of the PDF with at least one year’s full-time military service is 40 years of age. For former PDF members who had held the rank of Sergeant or Petty Officer or higher non-commissioned rank there is an age limit for 45 years of age on offering themselves for enlistment to the RDF. Therefore, it is open to the individual concerned to apply to the RDF if he so chooses.