Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Nor was I suggesting the Deputy was advocating that, but when we make comparisons, we have to be aware that other countries may have different systems. In any event, I take his point. I am very keen that we would significantly increase the strength of the RDF. It is currently at 1,407. The Army Reserve was at 1,323 at the end of last year, while the Naval Service Reserve was at 84. The strength of the First Line Reserve was 282. A total of 178 female personnel were serving in the Reserve and 65 additional members were inducted in 2023, comprising 59 into the Army Reserve and six into the Naval Service Reserve.

I brought in the Chief of Staff and his team because I was not happy with where we were on the Reserve Defence Forces. A new office of Reserve affairs has been established by the Chief of Staff following the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces, and there has been the development of a regeneration plan for the Reserve. That office, comprising seven members, is developing the regeneration plan and, meanwhile, I am asking for accelerated action on this. I was not happy with where we were when I came into my position. There were issues with medical assessments, which were taking too long, and I have asked the office to look at outsourcing some of that, which it has done, to get faster throughput. Plenty of people are applying but there is an issue with the conversion of people who express interest and with the timelines between people expressing interest and being recruited.

The office gives us capacity. It is now working on the plan but, parallel to working on the regeneration plan, it needs to see action in the form of actually getting people in this year. The legislation that has been passed has put the office in a statutory basis. It will update the use of the RDF on a voluntary basis, in respect of both the island and overseas.