Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I will begin by explaining the background to the upper service limits which apply to personnel who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force after 1 January 1994. In 1990 the Gleeson commission commented on the unsatisfactory age and fitness profile of the Permanent Defence Force. Thereafter, an in-depth study of the Defence Forces by Price Waterhouse Consultants in 1994, which had been engaged by the efficiency audit group, expressed severe criticism of the age profile of the Defence Forces. Following this review, the efficiency audit group report was accepted by the Government in 1995. The findings of the report reflected the serious concerns the military authorities had held for a number of years about the age profile of the Defence Forces. The present terms of enlistment for general service recruits arose as a result of the issues raised in the report.

One of the key areas identified for urgent action by the efficiency audit group was the development of a manpower policy with an emphasis on lowering the age profile of Permanent Defence Force personnel. In an effort to alleviate the situation, the Government had already decided in 1993, in consultation with the representative association, to enlist personnel on a five-year contract basis.

It is important to bear in mind that due to the robust nature of many military operations and their attendant physical training regimes, personnel are exposed to a unique range of challenging environments at home and overseas. Working in the Defence Forces is a demanding career and physical fitness is a basic requirement of military life. Military life places unique physical and psychological demands on individuals and personnel are exposed to a unique range of challenging environments. Personnel need to be physically and mentally prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations and to be in a position to undertake their duties on deployment overseas. In these circumstances it is vital that the age and health profile of personnel be such as to ensure that operational capability and effectiveness are not compromised. As such, in order to maintain the age profile of the Defence Forces to carry out the operational tasks required by Government, it is necessary to have a constant input of recruits into the Defence Forces. The maximum age for enlisted personnel provides the mechanism through which a satisfactory age profile can be achieved.

In 1997, agreement was reached with the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association on a new manpower policy for the Defence Forces. This policy, applying to personnel enlisted after 1 January 1994, provided that service for private soldiers would initially be on a five-year contract basis with a reserve commitment of seven years. This was followed by the option to extend service to a maximum of 12 years, subject to meeting standards of medical and physical fitness and conduct. Longer periods of service were envisaged for non-commissioned officers.

In 2004, the representative association for enlisted personnel submitted a claim under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for a further review of the terms of service applying to personnel enlisting in the Permanent Defence Force after 1 January 1994. A set of criteria was agreed with the representative association to provide longer careers for these personnel, while continuing to address the Government's objective of having an appropriate age profile to meet the challenges of a modern Defence Forces.

The criteria required is that any person re-engaging after 12 years service must be able to continue to operate at his or her current level, both at home and overseas, on an ongoing basis. Re-engagement is subject to the individual soldier meeting specified criteria in regard to physical fitness, medical category, successful completion of military courses of instruction, service overseas and conduct ratings.

The maximum service period for these personnel is as follows - enlisted personnel, up to and including the rank of corporal and equivalent Naval Service rank, may not serve beyond 21 years; enlisted personnel, in the rank of sergeant and equivalent Naval Service rank, may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of 50 years; and enlisted personnel in all higher ranks may serve to the age of 56 years.

This new policy represented a substantial improvement for personnel who would otherwise have had to leave after 12 years service, while continuing to address the issue of age profile and fitness levels in the Defence Forces.

With the approach of 2015, the first effects of the agreement, whereby privates and corporals may not serve beyond 21 years, will be felt by Permanent Defence Force members in those ranks. A claim has been received from the representative association for a further review of this matter. In accordance with normal procedures, the association's claim is being dealt with under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force. The Deputy will appreciate that as deliberations under the scheme are confidential to the parties involved, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the matter at this time other than to emphasise that in dealing with this issue the manpower and operational needs of the Defence Forces must be the primary consideration.

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