Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have been working with their representative organisations on this issue and this has been raised with me through them. It is not the first time it has been raised. It is an issue we have to face. The Deputy is quite right in saying that there are some people who could stay on in the organisation. There are many opportunities for personnel to progress through the organisation in terms of promotion and so on and they have an opportunity to stay on well beyond the retirement age for a regular soldier. There were more than 700 promotions last year and 600 so far this year. There are opportunities but there is definitely an issue. The gap analysis is in the White Paper project and we are seriously considering it.