John Brady
Ceist:912. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence the number of female members of the Defence Forces who have left to date in 2022, by month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29661/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 14 June 2022
Ceisteanna (912)
Freagraí scríofa
The following table details the number of women members of the Permanent Defence Force who have left, by month, to the end of May 2022:
|
Month |
Jan |
Feb |
March |
April |
May |
Total |
|
No. of Discharges |
2 |
6 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
24 |
As the Deputy will appreciate, personnel leave the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) for a number of reasons including, on age grounds, at the end of contract and on voluntary discharge.
In that context, I have fully acknowledged the retention issues affecting both Officers and Enlisted Personnel. A range of actions have been taken to address these issues which includes the 15 projects undertaken to facilitate the implementation of the PSPC Report on Recruitment and Retention. Most of these projects have been completed, with others being considered in the context of wider public sector pay arrangements.
Complementing these retention measures, a number of recruitment initiatives are additionally playing a role in countering the current staffing challenges, which include re-entry schemes for former members of the PDF. In addition, in the context of the White Paper on Defence, a specific project examining barriers to the progression of women in the PDF is currently ongoing.
The Deputy will also be aware that the Commission on the Defence Forces report which was published in February 2022 proposes significant changes for the Defence Forces, including in relation to gender policies and gender representation. The report is being fully considered, in consultation with Ministerial colleagues and other stakeholders and I will shortly revert to Government with a proposed response to the Commission's recommendations and a high-level action plan.
With the support of the Chief of Staff, I remain committed to maximising recruitment and retention of both men and women to maintain the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake the tasks laid down by Government, both at home and abroad.