Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Deputy O'Shea is correct. The percentage of women eligible increased from 60% to 90% of the population through the decision of the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, in 2006. In 2007, the TNS MRBI study was commissioned to examine the retention and recruitment of women to the Defence Forces. I have asked for information on the applications to the current recruitment drive. The final figures are not available but for one of the divisions the percentage of female applicants may be lower than 2%. I will revert to the Deputies when I receive the final figures on this. If that turns out to be the final figure, it seems an extraordinary change. Heretofore, the number recruited slightly exceeded the percentage of applicants at the initial phase. It is too early to know if this will be the case but I am concerned about what I am hearing because we would be moving in the opposite direction. This would be undesirable and we may have to take action in respect of recruitment policy. We have discussed the subject of retention in a previous Question Time and concerns exist, although it is not as dramatic as the matter I have just mentioned.

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