Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023
115. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline the recruitment and retention challenges facing the Defence Forces; how the Strategic Framework: Transformation of the Defence Forces will address those challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42518/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs at 31 August 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces was 7,671 personnel comprised of 6,221 Army personnel, 695 Air Corps personnel and 775 Naval Service personnel.
I have previously acknowledged the staffing difficulties in the Defence Forces, and work is ongoing to counter these. Current recruitment initiatives include ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment, the re-entry schemes, and the 'Be More' recruitment campaign.
A Joint Induction Training Centre has been established in Gormanston, with a view to increasing the throughput of recruits destined for all branches of the Defence Forces, and the training syllabus for these recruits has been refined.
The maximum age of entry has been increased to 29 years for General Service recruits, Cadets, apprentices, and certain specialists. Fitness test scoring has also been amended to maximise induction levels.
External human resources expertise has recently been engaged. This will assess Defence Forces recruitment and the candidate’s recruitment journey, with a view to validation of current processes and appropriate recommendations, where required. Their initial focus is on the Naval Service.
To address specific challenges in the Naval Service, and in an effort to maximise the recruit pool, psychometric testing for Naval Service General Service recruitment has been paused on a pilot basis for 6 months with an analysis of the revised approach to take place at this point. A specific Naval Service recruitment campaign is in train, and a contract has recently been awarded to a marine specialist recruitment body to target individuals with the skills and expertise required by the Naval Service.
Government has also introduced a range of financial and non-financial retention measures such as service commitment schemes in the Air Corps and the Naval Service, tax measures, extension of private medical care to all Defence Forces personnel, and significant progress on pay, which compares favourably with other areas in the Public Service.
My immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel, and to facilitate capacity for further increases. This will enable us to align ultimately with the level of ambition recommended in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, and agreed by Government.
The Strategic Framework on the Transformation of the Defence Forces brings together into one plan the actions to be taken to support the transformation agenda and sets core priorities for completion by the end of 2024, one of which is the stabilisation of personnel numbers.
