Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For the avoidance of any doubt, I want to state very clearly that there are no plans to stand down the Reserve and I do not accept the assertion that the Reserve will cease to exist within months. On the contrary, in the White Paper on Defence 2015, the Government has reaffirmed its commitment in terms of the Reserve. My Government colleagues and I recognise the important role that the Reserve Defence Force has played in contributing to Ireland's defence capability, and in particular, to the voluntary service which has been the hallmark of the Reserve. The Government appreciates the service of the members of the Reserve and the White Paper on Defence is clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve.

Under the current phase of implementation of White Paper actions two relate specifically to the RDF i.e. attracting recruits from all backgrounds and conducting a skills survey with a view to establishing a Specialist Reserve.

Recruitment to both the PDF and RDF remains a priority in 2017. Membership of the RDF is voluntary and unpaid and the quest for recruits must compete with the other organisations within the voluntary sector. These conditions along with the unique demands of military service make the issue of attracting recruits a challenging one. In the context of both finite resources and personnel, it is necessary to strike an appropriate balance in terms of PDF and RDF recruitment, so as to deliver the desired effects of maintaining the capacity of the Defence Forces to undertake all roles assigned to it by Government and to advance the single force structure.

Within the Defence Vote, the Government allocates over €2 million to support paid training and it also grants financial support to the RDF Representative Association.

The Government is fully committed to the retention of the RDF.

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