Mr. Se?n Clancy:

I fully recognised the challenges in my opening remarks. This was a specific challenge that I alluded to. I again accept the challenge to be faced in this context. We are working very hard to try to address this matter with our colleagues in the Department of Defence in the context of giving us the edge required to do so. I cannot say with any clarity or certainty when we hope to change this around, but we must certainly bring down the overall figure of 10.72% in turnover. Any healthy military organisation would accept a turnover rate of 5% to 6%, or maybe 7%. When we reach that target, I suggest that we will have moved into a positive growth rate.

Part of this is our recruitment strategy, which is a development concerned with taking in more recruits annually, but also with increasing the impact of our retention initiatives to decrease the figures for those leaving. As stated, we have had an increase of approximately 25% in the numbers of those voluntarily leaving the organisation in the past 12 months. I mentioned that we had a quieter period during Covid-19. It is yet to be determined whether this is an accelerated process or just a consequence of delayed departures post Covid-19. It is too early to make that determinative analysis now. We are, however, very conscious of this point and we will be monitoring it to come to a determination.