Written Answers Nos. 537-552
537. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the number of vacant homes is related to the ongoing backlog in the Probate Office; the data in regard to the number of homes affected in this way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50815/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of their remit under Census 2016, the Census enumerators employed by the Central Statistics Office were mandated to ascertain the number of vacant residential homes in their assigned areas on the Census night of 24 April 2016 and, where possible, to ascertain the reasons for such dwellings being vacant and unoccupied.
Of the 183,312 dwellings identified as vacant on the Census night (excluding holiday homes), reasons for vacancy were captured and summarised in respect of 57,246 properties, with the enumerators being unable to provide information on the reasons for vacancy in respect of the remaining 124,595 dwellings.
In relation to the 57,246 vacant dwellings for which reasons for vacancy were indicated by enumerators, the most common reasons indicated were that the dwelling was for sale (10,948), vacant between lettings (10,350), vacant on a long-term basis (10,056 with no further information provided), and the property owner was deceased (9,193). Of the vacant properties where the enumerators indicated that the reason for vacancy was due to the property owner being deceased, it was not possible to ascertain if the property was the subject of any processing delays in the Probate Office.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the levels of vacancy recorded as part of Census 2016 have significantly reduced in the interim, particularly in urban areas where many habitable homes and buildings have since been occupied.
538. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 618 of 21 November 2017, the provision of funds for land acquisition, by local authority; the funds used directly in relation to structures in separate tables, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50820/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No. 618 of 21 November 2017, which set out the funding provided for the provision of social housing by local authorities and approved housing bodies over the period 2007 to 2017.
In respect of the provision of funding by my Department for land acquisition, the land costs associated with the delivery of social housing construction projects are encompassed within each individual project's overall budgetary cost. My Department recoups the cost of the land to the local authority once the land in question is utilised for the purposes of a social housing construction project.
The data in respect of funding for land costs for each social housing construction project on a local authority basis over the period 2007 to 2017 is not readily available and its extraction would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.
However, it should be noted that an approximation of the average land cost per unit of social housing delivered can be established through a comparison of average construction costs per unit and all-in costs per unit. Assuming a weighted average mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bed units, the average construction cost per unit would be €160,500 approximately, while the average all-in cost per unit would be approximately €202,000. However, it should be noted that while land costs account for the majority of the difference between the construction and all-in costs figures, the latter also includes other costs such as design team fees, utilities, site investigations, surveys etc.
540. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when he will announce details of the new affordable housing scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50851/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 611, 627 and 629 of 21 November 2017 which sets out the position in relation to this matter.
541. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of residential houses in each category of the BER rating system. [50959/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which comes under the auspices of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, is the statutory agency responsible for the implementation and management of the Building Energy Rating (BER) Scheme, in accordance with Ireland’s obligations under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Recast). In accordance with these Regulations every new building is required to have a BER Certificate since 1 January 2007 and furthermore any existing dwelling, offered for sale or letting on or after 1 January 2009, also requires a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate.
My Department does not collate data on BER statistics. However, information, reporting and statistics in relation to the administration of the BER scheme is available on the SEAI website at www.sei.ie/resources/publications/Domestic-BER-Statistics.pdf.
Furthermore, the SEAI also provides BER statistics to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) which, in turn, publishes comprehensive quarterly bulletins which provide a detailed breakdown of BER ratings. This information is available on the CSO website at www.cso.ie/en/statistics/environment/.
542. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the wind planning guidelines; the status of the strategic environment assessment on these guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50961/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy predecessor as Minister, in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, announced an emerging "preferred draft approach" to the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines in June 2017. A copy of the announcement is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.housing.gov.ie/planning/guidelines/wind-energy/coveney-and-naughten-announce-key-development-review-wind-energy-development-guidelines.
As part of the overall review, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) will be undertaken on the "proposed draft approach" to the revised Guidelines before they come into effect. This is in accordance with the requirements of EU Directive 2001/24/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, the SEA Directive. SEA is a process by which environmental considerations are required to be fully integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes which act as frameworks for development consent, prior to their final adoption, with public consultation as part of that process. It is envisaged that the public consultation as part of the SEA process will be undertaken in early 2018.
When finalised, the revised Guidelines will be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities, and, where applicable, An Bord Pleanála must have regard to guidelines issued under Section 28 in the performance of their functions generally under the Planning Acts.
543. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason the income of an elderly person is taken into consideration when the discount under the tenant purchase scheme is being calculated in view of the fact that this person cannot purchase the house in their own right; the timeframe for when the report on the review of the tenant purchase scheme will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51168/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
The minimum reckonable income for eligibility under the scheme is determined by the relevant housing authority in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Ministerial Direction issued under Sections 24(3) and (4) of the 2014 Act. In the determination of the minimum reckonable income, housing authorities can include income from a number of different sources and classes, such as from employment, private pensions, maintenance payments and certain social welfare payments, including pensions, where the social welfare payment is secondary to employment income. In determining reckonable income, the income of all tenants of the house, including adult children that are joint tenants is included, as is the income of the spouse, civil partner or other partner/co-habitant of a tenant who lives in the house with them, thus ensuring the appropriate level of discount is applied to the purchase price.
In order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme, it is essential that an applicant’s income is of a long-term and sustainable nature. This is necessary to ensure that the tenant purchasing the house is in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the ownership of, and responsibility for, the house from the local authority to the tenant.
The terms of the Scheme involve discounts of 40%, 50% or 60% off the purchase price of the house, linked to the tenant’s reckonable annual income. On the sale of a house under the Scheme, the local authority will place an incremental purchase charge on the house equivalent to the discount granted to the tenant. Generally, the charge withers away over a period of 20, 25 or 30 years depending on the level of discount involved, as set out in the following table.
|
Reckonable Annual Income |
Discount |
Charge period |
|
Between €15,000 and €20,000 |
60% |
30 years |
|
Between €20,001 and €29,999 |
50% |
25 years |
|
€30,000 or more |
40% |
20 years |
In line with the commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of the first 12 months of the Tenant Purchase Scheme’s operation has been undertaken. The review has incorporated analysis of comprehensive data received from local authorities regarding the operation of the scheme during 2016 and a wide-ranging public consultation process which saw submissions received from individuals, elected representatives and organisations.
The review is now complete and a full report setting out findings and recommendations has been prepared. I expect to be in a position to publish the outcome of the review shortly.
544. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of a contract (details supplied) in view of recent statements from Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51176/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The Water Services Strategic Plan - A Plan for the Future of Water Services (WSSP), which was published in October 2015, set out strategic objectives for the delivery of water services for 25 years up to 2040. The WSSP committed to the preparation of Business Plans by Irish Water to set out targets for delivery of efficiencies in operational and capital expenditure and performance targets consistent with the delivery of the objectives of the WSSP.
The Irish Water Business Plan - Transforming Water Services in Ireland to 2021 was published in late 2015. It set the priorities for the utility to 2021 and underpins the transformation plan for the water sector to a single utility model. The plan was considered by Government and was approved subject to budgetary and regulatory review. The Water Services Act 2017 contains provisions for the establishment of a Water Advisory Body (WAB). The WAB is being established to advise on measures needed to improve the transparency and accountability of Irish Water. The body will report on a quarterly basis to an Oireachtas Committee on the performance of Irish Water on the implementation of its business plan.
The Confidence and Supply Arrangement in support of the minority Government has confirmed the retention of Irish Water as a single national utility in public ownership, responsible for the delivery of water and waste water services.
Since 2013, working through Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with the local authorities, Irish Water has made significant progress in establishing the utility capability, which has included investing over €2 billion in the system to date. Over the past year, significant design phase work has been undertaken on the development of a transformation plan, in line with the Business Plan objectives. Flowing from this, I have been informed by Ervia (which has responsibility for Irish Water), that they consider that the public water system will benefit significantly by greater integration of operations into the single utility. Consequently, the Ervia Board has agreed in principle not to renew the SLAs beyond 2025 when they are due to end, and to move to a full integrated public utility operations model. The Water Services Acts already provide the necessary protections for terms and conditions, and pensions, of local authority staff working under the SLAs in such circumstances. It is the intention of Ervia to work with local authorities to manage this change within the life of the current Business Plan (i.e. by end of 2021).
A process of engagement with local authorities on the proposed next steps on the transformation plan has now commenced. The SLAs between Irish Water and local authorities have not been amended and remain in place until such time as an alternative is agreed.
545. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the social housing delivered under each of the categories (details supplied) by local authority, in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51242/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra546. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the social housing targets committed to in Rebuilding Ireland under each of the categories (details supplied), by local authority for each of the years over the next five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51243/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 546 together.
The Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness provides for the delivery of 50,000 social housing homes out to 2021. This ambitious target is supported by funding of over €6 billion. This will be achieved using a range of delivery mechanisms including build, remediation, acquisition and leasing.
Details in relation to housing purchased and built in all local authority areas are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. Information on quarter three of 2017 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.
Details in relation to the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) for 2014 and 2015 are set out in Tables 1 and 2. Data for 2016 is available on the website at the link above. Information for 2011 to 2013 is only available on a cumulative basis and is on the website, with data for 2017 to be published shortly.
The Voids Programme was introduced in 2014 and has seen over 7,000 social homes remediated and relet from 2014-16. Breakdowns by each local authority are set out in Table 3. I anticipate that over 1,400 units will be remediated under the Programme in 2017.
The targets under Rebuilding Ireland are to be achieved using a combination of building, purchasing and leasing high quality properties to meet the needs of households on local authority waiting lists around the country. Table 4 sets out the targets under the main programme areas for each year of Rebuilding Ireland.
In terms of the specific categories of delivery referred to by the Deputy, Table 5 shows the elements of the build activity of almost 33,500 social homes targeted under Rebuilding Ireland, including homes that will be built directly by local authorities and AHBs, properties constructed for social housing through Part V and refurbished properties/Voids, together with some 6,500 acquisitions, over the period 2016 to 2021.
I will shortly be issuing new targets for social housing delivery to each local authority for the period to 2021 in line with the Rebuilding Ireland national targets.
Table 1: SHCEP Output 2014
|
Local Authority |
SHCEP 2014 Output |
SHCEP 2014 Build |
SHCEP 2014 Acquisition |
SHCEP 2014 Lease |
|
Carlow |
56 |
0 |
53 |
3 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Clare |
38 |
0 |
26 |
12 |
|
Cork City |
12 |
8 |
0 |
4 |
|
Cork County |
108 |
0 |
6 |
102 |
|
Donegal |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
|
Dublin City |
122 |
0 |
58 |
64 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Fingal |
58 |
0 |
6 |
52 |
|
South Dublin |
183 |
8 |
81 |
94 |
|
Galway City |
22 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
|
Galway County |
12 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
|
Kerry |
26 |
0 |
0 |
26 |
|
Kildare |
35 |
0 |
9 |
26 |
|
Kilkenny |
37 |
0 |
37 |
0 |
|
Laois |
14 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
14 |
0 |
11 |
3 |
|
Longford |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Louth |
71 |
0 |
4 |
67 |
|
Mayo |
45 |
0 |
0 |
45 |
|
Meath |
6 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
67 |
0 |
0 |
67 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Tipperary |
37 |
0 |
0 |
37 |
|
Waterford |
18 |
0 |
4 |
14 |
|
Westmeath |
51 |
0 |
0 |
51 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Total |
1065 |
16 |
303 |
746 |
Table 2: SHCEP Output 2015
|
Local Authority |
SHCEP 2015 Output |
SHCEP 2015 Build |
SHCEP 2015 Acquisition |
SHCEP 2015 Lease |
|
Carlow |
31 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
|
Cavan |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Clare |
42 |
0 |
1 |
41 |
|
Cork City |
65 |
0 |
26 |
39 |
|
Cork County |
175 |
0 |
60 |
115 |
|
Donegal |
37 |
0 |
5 |
32 |
|
Dublin City |
258 |
26 |
47 |
185 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
10 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
Fingal |
49 |
0 |
4 |
45 |
|
South Dublin |
202 |
0 |
82 |
120 |
|
Galway City |
55 |
0 |
30 |
25 |
|
Galway County |
44 |
0 |
14 |
30 |
|
Kerry |
51 |
0 |
0 |
51 |
|
Kildare |
30 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
|
Kilkenny |
43 |
0 |
0 |
43 |
|
Laois |
13 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
|
Leitrim |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Limerick |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford |
31 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
|
Louth |
36 |
17 |
5 |
14 |
|
Mayo |
31 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
|
Meath |
55 |
0 |
13 |
42 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Offaly |
61 |
0 |
4 |
57 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
6 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Tipperary |
31 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
|
Waterford |
14 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
|
Westmeath |
39 |
0 |
0 |
39 |
|
Wexford |
49 |
0 |
28 |
21 |
|
Wicklow |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Total |
1477 |
43 |
331 |
1103 |
Table 3: Voids Programme 2014-2017
|
Local Authority |
Units returned 2014 |
Units Returned 2015 |
Units Returned 2016 |
Unit Allocation 2017 |
|
Carlow |
42 |
28 |
8 |
8 |
|
Cavan |
23 |
28 |
32 |
12 |
|
Clare |
65 |
96 |
79 |
24 |
|
Cork City |
212 |
281 |
151 |
43 |
|
Cork County |
155 |
199 |
97 |
69 |
|
DLR |
5 |
24 |
19 |
11 |
|
Donegal |
167 |
146 |
83 |
128 |
|
Dublin City |
467 |
787 |
531 |
377 |
|
Fingal |
165 |
139 |
147 |
151 |
|
Galway City |
26 |
25 |
28 |
16 |
|
Galway County |
76 |
59 |
37 |
30 |
|
Kerry |
79 |
103 |
90 |
56 |
|
Kildare |
49 |
20 |
24 |
7 |
|
Kilkenny |
25 |
23 |
11 |
9 |
|
Laois |
43 |
12 |
12 |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
15 |
9 |
47 |
16 |
|
Limerick |
98 |
52 |
18 |
32 |
|
Longford |
16 |
22 |
23 |
37 |
|
Louth |
9 |
21 |
8 |
7 |
|
Mayo |
80 |
86 |
25 |
22 |
|
Meath |
59 |
54 |
65 |
47 |
|
Monaghan |
21 |
13 |
40 |
13 |
|
Offaly |
35 |
55 |
41 |
7 |
|
Roscommon |
34 |
36 |
72 |
4 |
|
Sligo |
29 |
39 |
68 |
44 |
|
South Dublin |
92 |
27 |
81 |
92 |
|
Tipperary |
86 |
115 |
100 |
58 |
|
Waterford |
42 |
56 |
83 |
52 |
|
Westmeath |
56 |
74 |
43 |
8 |
|
Wexford |
20 |
24 |
17 |
11 |
|
Wicklow |
35 |
43 |
10 |
9 |
Table 4: Social Housing Targets 2016-2021
|
Year |
|
Build |
Acquisition |
Leasing |
RAS |
HAP |
|
2016 |
Target |
2,260 |
1,755 |
225 |
1,000 |
12,000 |
|
2016 |
Delivered |
2,965 |
1,957 |
792 |
1,256 |
12,075 |
|
2017 |
Target |
3,200 |
1,250 |
600 |
1,000 |
15,000 |
|
2018 |
Target |
4,969 |
900 |
2,000 |
600 |
17,000 |
|
2019 |
Target |
6,385 |
1,025 |
2,130 |
600 |
16,760 |
|
2020 |
Target |
7,716 |
800 |
2,631 |
600 |
13,000 |
|
2021 |
Target |
8,907 |
800 |
2,450 |
- |
10,000 |
Table 5: Build and Acquisition National Targets 2016-2021
|
Delivery |
Build |
Acquisition |
|
Local Authority |
16,328 |
1,480 |
|
AHB |
8,960 |
5,050 |
|
Refurbished properties/Voids |
3,459 |
- |
|
Properties constructed for social housing through Part V |
4,690 |
- |
|
Totals |
33,437 |
6,530 |
547. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the costs incurred by the Naval Service in participating in high-speed boarding trials with a company (details supplied) as reported in the media; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50854/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2015 White Paper on Defence reaffirms that my Department will “identify opportunities for cooperative-collaborative engagement between the Defence Forces and Irish based enterprise and research institutes, including third level colleges.” The sea trials referred to by the Deputy were conducted as part of routine Naval Service patrols and I am advised that no additional costs were incurred.
548. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the full-year savings achieved by the abolition of the service commitment incentive scheme for Air Corps personnel. [50903/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA service commitment scheme was introduced in 1997 to incentivise pilots to remain within the Air Corps. This scheme ran in various formats until 2010 when it was discontinued. Payment under this scheme between 2002 and 2010 amounted to just over €5 million. No provision has been made within budgetary arrangements since 2010 for a similar type scheme.
549. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons serving in the Permanent Defence Force; and the estimated full-year cost of increasing the numbers to 9,500, 10,000, 10,500, 11,000 and 11,500, respectively. [51160/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe White Paper on Defence (2015) sets out Government policy on Defence for the next decade. It commits to retaining flexible and adaptable defence capabilities for a broad range of scenarios and sets out capability requirements including personnel and equipment in this regard. In this context, it is important that an appropriate balance is maintained between personnel costs and equipment investment.
The White Paper provides for a Permanent Defence Force Establishment of 9,500 personnel and as at 31st October 2017 (the latest date for which figures are available) the strength of the PDF was 9,219 personnel. The Defence Budget for 2017 provides for a full strength of 9,500 personnel and every effort is being made to reach this strength. With regard to equipment and infrastructure, I was pleased to have recently secured additional capital funding of €98 million over the balance of the timeframe for the Capital Investment Programme 2016–2021 which will contribute to meeting equipment and infrastructure requirements.
Apart from the White Paper targets, the Department does not maintain costings for increasing the strength of the PDF to those outlined by the Deputy. This would require detailed consideration of the capability requirements underpinning such an increase and consideration of associated personnel issues, including organisational structures as well as equipment, infrastructure and other additional requirements and associated costs.
550. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons serving in the Reserve Defence Force; and the estimated full-year cost of increasing the numbers to 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, 5,000 and to 5,500, respectively. [51161/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 is 1,856 effective personnel and subhead A5 provides for a budget €2.115 million for paid training and it is estimated that the costs of reaching the full strength would require an additional paid training budget of approximately €2.5 million.
Providing for numbers beyond the current establishment would require consideration of the capability requirements underpinning such an increase and an assessment of the associated cost implications. The Department does not retain such costings.
551. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason, if RACO and PDFORRA are signatories to the current C and A agreement and in cases in which amendments or changes require agreement of the parties, he excluded these key stakeholders from the review working group of the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme. [51240/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced previously my intention to review the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. In advance of the commencement of the review, I arranged for draft terms of reference to be circulated to PDFORRA and RACO. During the course of recent meetings I had with the Permanent Defence Force representative associations, I requested that they revert to me with their comments on the draft terms of reference, which I would duly consider.
I have received the views of both associations and am considering their suggestions. As the draft terms of reference are not finalised, it would be premature to comment on the make-up of any working group.
552. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason his Department has failed to conduct a review of unit manning levels to include examination of unit personnel capacity of duty rosters in view of the fact that he has been continually informed by representative associations of the indisputable inadequate and dangerous manning levels that are compromising the safety and well-being of personnel. [51241/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe White Paper on Defence sets out that the establishment of the Permanent Defence Force will be maintained at 9,500 personnel. As at end October 2017 the strength is 9,219 personnel, which is 97% of the establishment. A range of measures are in train to reach the intended strength level and there is sufficient funding in the Defence Vote for a full strength PDF.
I am aware that the Representative Associations have recently raised concerns regarding Unit manning levels. The Chief of Staff has assured me that within the Defence Forces there is appropriate governance and oversight to assess, to mitigate and ensure that in every action that is undertaken the health and safety of all personnel is paramount. The health and welfare of the men and women of the Defence Forces are a priority for me and I will continue to seek updates on this important matter.
As part of the implementation of the White Paper a range of projects are under way which are examining capability requirements across the Defence Forces. I have directed that a project to examine skills gaps is brought forward and this will commence as part of the next tranche of White Paper projects.
