Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I plan to discuss the contents of the reports with my officials, the Army and the representative organisations RACO and PDFORRA. I have no problem with publishing their contents at that stage. I expect the discussions to take place shortly.

The internal debate on the medical barrier to further reducing the height requirements for female applicants continues. As Deputy Timmins states, medical evidence suggests it would be dangerous for people of a lesser height to engage in this type of work. I have asked the Army to examine the latest scientific findings, re-evaluate the situation and consider the type of tasks members of the Army would be asked to undertake. This may allow us to overcome this difficulty. Men tend to be taller than women but the number of women who join the Army is in proportion to the number of applicants.

How can we encourage more women to apply? Women constitute approximately 5% of the Irish Permanent Defence Force compared to 9% in the United Kingdom, 14% in the United States and 13% in Sweden and France. We must increase the Irish figure. I recognise that the height requirement is a barrier to women joining. I have asked the Army to report to me on how the workload may be altered to accommodate more women if findings do not change.

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