David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests to the meeting and thank them for their presentation. I also thank them for what they do in representing RDF members across the country. Many of the questions I was going to ask have been asked. That is the danger of following Deputy Berry, who is the resident expert on all things military.

I was going to ask about the First Line Reserve and heard the response that the RDFRA does not represent its members. They are a pool of trainers who are available on short notice to supplement units in times of emergency. I know there is no set establishment in that regard. I was talking to a senior officer at the weekend. The point was made that we should probably do more with the people who leave the PDF and, as has been said, encourage them to join the RDF at least. Some of those people have a lot of skills and want to do it but there does not seem to be a pathway there. I am not sure if that is a matter our guests have explored or can explore. It is a matter I am interested in.

I spent 20 years in the FCA, as it was, and wore the beret. I knew a young barman who was a serving member. One of the officers asked him what he was doing in civvy life. He said he was in college. He was asked what he was studying and the answer was that he was doing a PhD in astrophysics. That is the kind of level of skill that the RDF can bring to the PDF and to the State. That man was also serving cocktails and whatever else. The level of skill is amazing and can be amazing.

The FCA was stood down on 31 March 2005. At that stage, the First Line Reserve was made up of 404 members. There were 317 members of the Naval Service Reserve. The FCA, as it was then, comprised 11,520 members. The total number in the reserve at that time was 12,240. We have fallen a long way since then.

I take Mr. Cooney's point that the single force concept seemed to be the death knell of the reserve. He did not use those words but I will. It does not seem to have worked. Perhaps the number of reservists is smaller. Reservists nowadays are, in general, more skilled than they were then. The level of skill is far higher, which is a good thing. However, the overall numbers have dropped for the reasons that have been outlined and for other reasons.

There is a proposal to bring people back into the RDF at their former rank. Primary legislation would be needed. Has there been any movement in that regard? Have our guests any comment to make on that proposal? Is it still the case that members of the Civil Service can take special leave to serve in the RDF? Perhaps our guests could comment on that. I am not sure if that is still the case but it was in the past and was useful.

Promotion vacancies have been mentioned. We know that the establishment strength is low at the moment. What is the effective strength? Will our guests comment on that point? We know the establishment strength is 4,000. Is the effective strength 1,400? Our guests know what I mean by that. I mean the effective strength versus the non-effective strength.

Most of the other questions I wanted to ask have been asked already. I will not waste time on those.