Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a higher percentage in terms of filling Naval Service reservist posts than there is in the Army reserve at the moment. There are no plans to deploy reservists overseas but that issue is being considered in the White Paper. My view is that if there are skillsets that would add to the operational and response capacity of the Permanent Defence Force, particularly in specialist areas, we should look at recruiting, supporting and maintaining that skillset within the Reserve Defence Force. We will have that discussion when we are debating the White Paper but I certainly have an open mind on it.

Can I clarify something? Nobody is suggesting that we would deliberately put obstacles in the way of people wanting to join the reserve. The point I am making is that there are requirements to be met in terms of fitness and standards in order to become a reservist so that we get the right people who can do a job when we call on them to do so.

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