Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I accept the Deputy's point but it is not just a question of cost. Similar arguments are often made with regard to experienced members of the detective branch of the Garda Síochána. When an officer reaches a certain age, he or she knows where to look when a crime is committed. Nevertheless, such officers must retire at that age and their expertise is lost. There are certain upper retirement ages in the Army officer class because outstanding young people are coming through at the moment. I met outstanding people of the rank of captain and lieutenant in the Lebanon who had an expectation of achieving a certain rank by a certain age, which is their entitlement. We cannot increase the age limits of any ranks at the moment because to do so would slow the process even more.

I take Deputy Timmins's point about the ageing of the population and the position in the Civil Service. I have seen several cases of young Army officers, highly educated and full of zeal and enthusiasm, who left the Army and we lost their expertise because the promotional prospects were not sufficiently good. Age limits are continually under review but I have no plans at present to make any changes in that regard.

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