Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The White Paper on Defence 2000 outlines the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, comprising approximately 12,000 personnel. The RDF review implementation plan was formally launched in July 2004 and provides for the phased enhancement of reserve capabilities until the end of 2009. The plan set out the proposed establishment of the reserve. The non-integrated element of the reserve was to have an establishment of 9,692, which came into force in October 2005 when the reserve was reorganised. The military authorities have informed me that the strength of the reserve as at 31 August 2008 was 7,856.

The plan provides for the development of an integrated element of the Army reserve with a proposed establishment of 2,656 personnel. In line with the plan, a pilot integration project was initiated in 2007 and, while numbers participating were much lower than expected, valuable lessons were learned. The pilot was extended into 2008 and the military authorities are currently reviewing the project. A report will be submitted to me outlining options for the further development of the integrated reserve.

I have previously acknowledged that numbers in the reserve have declined in recent years. This trend in reduced volunteerism is not confined to the reserve, but is indicative of broader societal trends. It should also be noted that, as part of the implementation process, a more rigorous approach is now taken to removing the names of non-effective personnel from unit rolls. This accounts for part of the apparent fall in numbers in recent years.

In light of the Government decision of 8 July 2008 requiring savings across the public sector, a planned recruitment and awareness campaign for the reserve has been postponed. It is intended to revisit this important project when the budgetary situation permits.

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