Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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No, we have agreed the objective strength is 9,500. I gave the exact figures a moment ago. At present there are approximately 9,250 in the Defence Forces. By the time we get to 31 December it will be 9,400. Each year there are a number of retirements and I went through the various retirement figures a moment ago. It is important we continue with our recruitment campaign. I stated there will be a new recruitment campaign in 2014. The Government made a decision the objective strength should be 9,500 and at present we are approximately 250 below this. It will increase to 9,400 by 31 December and we will continue this into the new year. Every year different numbers retire and are recruited. Recruitment in 2011 was 526 and in 2012 it was 633. We have different numbers each year, which are substantially dictated by the number of retirements . A number of vacancies can become available and after a little time lag we recruit. The object of strength is 9,500 and there will always be some variant and movement up and down. I am satisfied the numbers we have at present are sufficient to enable us to carry out our duties at home and abroad.

Deputies Anne Ferris and Alan Farrell mentioned the missions abroad. We sometimes lose sight of the fact we are a small country. It is extraordinary we have engagements throughout the world in 14 different locations all of which are conflict zones or troublespots. In some of these we have only small numbers of our Defence Forces, but they are there because they are in leadership positions. For example, last week I visited the Lebanon, Jordan and Israel and I met Major General Mick Finn of the Defence Forces who heads up the truce observer group in the Middle East covering the Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Syria. The group was put in place following the 1973 war in the region. The 250 soldiers engaged in the group come from a broad range of countries but someone from Ireland is in charge. This is replicated elsewhere, for example EUTM Somalia where Brigadier General Aherne is in charge of the mission. Again we have very small numbers there but they do very important jobs. Without doubt we have the capacity to continue to engage in this way and bring our niche skills in peacekeeping and dealing with the neutralisation of improvised explosive devices. In some instances we are in teaching mode for bigger armies. These are very important tasks and the Defence Forces are certainly up to them.

The Defence Forces get good training in these areas and do an important and good job which gets worldwide praise and recognition. When I travelled around the Middle East last week, various Ministers in different Governments praised the contribution we are making and the value of our engagement.