Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I would have to guess how many people would leave the Army between now and 31 December, I do not know. We are getting near the 10,000 level. Even the McCarthy report recommends a minimum of 10,000 to be achieved over a two or three year time scale but we are already there. I would like not the Army to drop under 10,000. That is why I have asked for permission to recruit extra personnel. I would like to get permission from the Department of Finance to keep the numbers as close as possible to 10,500 as possible. That was the figure indicated in the White Paper as being the optimum number needed to carry out the task the Army has to do both at home and abroad, to provide sufficient numbers on rotation for foreign missions, given that we are committed to providing up to a maximum of 850 troops abroad at any one time. That requires enormous back-up.

I have made my representations and I am hopeful I will succeed.

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