Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, there is currently no provision in the Defence Acts to allow Reserve Defence Force personnel to be deployed overseas. The White Paper on Defence confirmed that the primary role of the Reserve Defence Force is to augment the Permanent Defence Force in crisis situations and to contribute to State ceremonial events. It was also identified in the White Paper on Defence that there may be professional skills that, on occasion, are not readily available in the Permanent Defence Force.

Arising from the fact that there may be individual members of the RDF who, by virtue of their professional civilian qualifications, have the competence to undertake such specialised tasks and fill the skills gap, the Government has decided that a panel of such professionally qualified members of the RDF, to be known as the specialist reserve, should be established. In tandem with the establishment of this specialist reserve, my Department will identify the options available to underpin the engagement of its members, whose personal circumstances would allow them to undertake required tasks, including on overseas missions where appropriate.

As part of the implementation plan for the wide range of initiatives relating to the reserve in the White Paper, the Secretary General, in conjunction with the Chief of Staff, will in due course bring forward proposals for the operation of such a scheme. This will be with a view to affording a small number of suitably qualified members of the RDF the opportunity to undertake operational duties at home and overseas with the Permanent Defence Force, PDF.

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