Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was told in a written reply in April this year that the serving strength of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, was 9,146, which is nine fewer than October 2015. The former Minister, Deputy Coveney, stated that budget 2016 includes the provision of €416 million for Permanent Defence Force pay and this would allow for the payment of the full establishment of 9,500 personnel in line with the commitment in the White Paper on Defence. Will this happen in 2016?

In October 2014, the former Minister, Deputy Coveney, highlighted that 220 recruits were in training, with plans under way to enlist 180 additional recruits by the end of 2014. Yet in 2015, we dropped a further 140 members. When will we see numbers reach 9,500? Will it be in 2016? If the budget exists for it, why is not being achieved? The Minister of State has spoken about significant turnover, how it has always been that way and that he is very aware of that. If he is aware of the turnover, why is there no foresight and forward planning to ensure we keep those numbers at 9,500 personnel, rather than leaning back on the excuse for not reaching the levels to which we have committed?

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