Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 21 and 37 together.

The unsatisfactory age and fitness profile of the Permanent Defence Force was commented upon by the Gleeson commission in its report in 1990. The age profile was also the subject of severe criticism by PricewaterhouseCoopers which had been engaged by the efficiency audit group, EAG, to conduct an in-depth study of the Defence Forces. One of the key areas identified for urgent action by the EAG was the development of a manpower policy with an emphasis on lowering the age profile of Permanent Defence Force personnel.

In an effort to alleviate the situation, the Government had already decided in 1993, following consultation with the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, to enlist personnel on a five-year contract basis with a Reserve Defence Force commitment of seven years. In 1997, agreement was reached with PDFORRA on a new manpower policy for the Defence Forces. This policy, applying to personnel enlisted after 1 January 1994, provided that service for private soldiers would initially be for five years with the option to be extended to a maximum of 12 years in two phases. Extensions from five to nine years and from nine to 12 years were subject to the individual soldiers meeting certain criteria, including standards of medical and physical fitness, conduct and courses attended or period of overseas service.

In 2004, PDFORRA submitted a claim under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for a further review of the terms of service applying to personnel enlisting in the Permanent Defence Force after 1 January 1994. Following detailed and prolonged discussion on this claim, a set of criteria has been agreed. The criteria meet PDFORRA's desire to provide longer careers in the Permanent Defence Force while continuing to address the Government's previously stated objective of having an appropriate age profile to meet the challenges of a modern defence force. The criteria require that any person re-engaging must be able to continue to operate at his or her current level both at home and overseas on an ongoing basis. Re-engagements will be subject to the individual soldiers meeting specified criteria in respect of physical fitness, medical category, successful completion of military courses of instruction, service overseas and conduct ratings. PDFORRA is in the process of balloting its members on the criteria that have been agreed.

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