Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

For the same reasons given yesterday when we discussed the estimate in respect of the Department of Justice and Equality, I do not know the exact numbers. People retire in various circumstances, but the figure that I provided the Deputy the last time we dealt with numbers within the Defence Forces was just in excess of 9,500. As the Deputy will see, we have now dipped below that number. I do not have a final figure and I do not want to give the Deputy a guesstimate, as doing so would be unfair. We will have a clearer view of the direction we are heading when we reach the end of November.

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