Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
102. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Defence the up-to-date position in relation to efforts to recruit more members to the Defence Forces; the number of recruitments and retirements and resignations in each of the past five years from each branch of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34189/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra113. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Defence the number of persons who have left the Defence Forces since 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33621/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 113 together.
The following table details the number of members of the Permanent Defence Force who have left, by year and Branch, since 2018. Discharges include personnel who left for a variety of reasons including retirement on age grounds, at end of contract and voluntary discharges. More than 50% who leave the Defence Force do so with some form of pension.
|
|
Army |
Naval Service |
Air Corps |
Total |
|
2018 |
529 |
148 |
63 |
740 |
|
2019 |
655 |
139 |
88 |
882 |
|
2020 |
488 |
100 |
48 |
636 |
|
2021 |
533 |
103 |
50 |
686 |
|
*2022 |
254 |
36 |
23 |
313 |
*As at 31 May 2022
The following table contains the requested induction figures, by year and Branch, since 2018:
|
|
Army |
Naval Service |
Air Corps |
Total |
|
2018 |
496 |
104 |
27 |
627 |
|
2019 |
465 |
114 |
36 |
615 |
|
2020 |
421 |
73 |
44 |
538 |
|
2021 |
458 |
78 |
40 |
576 |
|
*2022 |
102 |
7 |
1 |
110 |
*As at 31 May 2022
I have previously acknowledged the ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces and to tackle these there are a number of recruitment and retention initiatives which are presently being implemented.
There is ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment and, as of 31 May 2022, 110 personnel have been inducted. The Defence Forces have engaged a marketing and media partner to assist with recruitment advertising to ensure engagement with the recruitment demographic across social media and other media platforms. I recently launched the new Defence Forces recruitment rebrand ‘Be More with the Irish Defence Forces’. The new marketing strategy aligns the desire to continuously improve and learn new skills with ensuring long term career advancement, by ably demonstrating the opportunities and skills a career in the Defence Forces offers.
Further, the work of the Commission on the Defence Forces included, inter alia, consideration of recruitment, retention and staffing. Consideration of the recommendations of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces is ongoing. I intend to revert shortly to Government with a proposed response to those recommendations and a high-level action plan, which will set out proposed timelines and oversight arrangements for its implementation
