Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not going to go there. I am happy that the Minister has covered a number of the significant areas. Perhaps future committees reviewing reports such as this should meet to discuss ongoing overseas service more frequently so current issues can be dealt with as they arise.

As the Minister and others have done, I pay tribute to all of those currently serving overseas and those who have done so over a number of decades. While serving in an extraordinary number of theatres and in a variety of locations and facing diverse challenges, the troops have distinguished themselves always in terms of the service they have given. When one speaks to the people on the street about the Defence Forces, they speak first and foremost about the role the troops play in peacekeeping and peace enforcement. The troops cannot engage in this role without the support of their families back home who, in supporting them, suffer from considerable pressure and face many additional demands. We should acknowledge that.

Having regard to the report on overseas service in 2014, could the Minister state what percentage of the personnel currently serving overseas are female? The Minister alluded earlier to the problem with recruiting females to the service. The proportion of females is 6% nationally. What is the proportion serving overseas?