Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the veteran associations, I meet them at least and sometimes twice a year. I last met them in December of 2017. Their allowances were discussed and officials in my Department are in negotiations with them on that matter.

In 2016, the budget for military education and training was €1,983,000 while in 2017 it was €2,173,000. The Estimate for 2018 is €2,150,000 but if additional funding is required for 2018, it will be provided. It is most important that we continue to train and educate members of our Defence Forces. If members want to participate in any training or education programmes, they will be facilitated in doing so.

The Deputy also spoke about the Reserve Defence Forces, RDF. In 2017, there were 139 inductees. The most recent recruitment campaign for the Army's Reserves and the Naval Service began in July 2017 and attracted 121 applications. A total of 139 personnel were inducted into the RDF in 2017. It is planned to hold a further Reserve recruitment campaign in 2018. Having regard to training demands arising from the significant ongoing requirements of the PDF, it is proposed to hold the RDF general services recruitment campaign between 23 April and 4 June 2018. Applications for the Reserve are vetted by An Garda Síochána and standard vetting takes four weeks. However, additional vetting also takes place appropriate to the role of the Defence Forces as an element of national security. If at all possible, we try to facilitate members of the Reserve who are working by scheduling medical checks, fitness tests and so forth at weekends. One of my priorities is to increase the numbers in the RDF. However, it is also a priority in build up the numbers in the PDF. The fall-out rate for those who apply to join the RDF is very high as people go through the different stages of the recruitment process. I know that the process has been speeded up to try to get as many applicants through as quickly as possible.

Defence Forces allowances include a Border duty allowance, an overseas allowance, a miscellaneous allowance and a security duty allowance. The Deputy focused on the latter allowance which is payable to personnel to compensate them for the additional hours and responsibilities associated with security duties. These can include aid to civil power duties, barrack security duties or explosive ordnance disposal, EOD, duties. Personnel may also receive a patrol duty allowance, subsistence allowance and uniform allowance.

The Deputy also spoke about the number of patrol days carried out by the Naval Service. The figures provided are for actual patrol days in 2016 and 2017 and the projected number for 2018. However, I must stress that all of the requests made by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority are met. We have never failed to meet all of the agency's requests for assistance. Indeed, the high number of arrests reflects the number of patrol days that the Defence Forces put in with-----