Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am dividing my time with Deputy John Paul Phelan.

I welcome the opportunity to address the issues raised in this motion about the strength of the Defence Forces. The position is that, at the end of February 2017, the effective strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 9,070. The Government is committed to maintaining the establishment of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500.

It is recognised that a key challenge is to return to and maintain this strength. It important to clarify that, in total, 590 general service recruits were inducted in 2016, with 100 cadets between all services. Recruitment remains a priority in 2017 and, significantly, more personnel will be recruited this year, with funding secured to ensure delivery of this outcome. Both cadet and general service recruitment campaigns are currently active, with historically high levels of recruitment being pursued. The Defence Forces are planning for the induction of 900 new entrants in 2017. While the Fianna Fáil motion fails to recognise that the Defence Forces are the only arm of the public service in which there was continuous recruitment and promotion during the years of austerity, it does include a call to increase the establishment strength of the Permanent Defence Force to 10,500. However, it is important to remember that there are challenges, particularly in the Air Corps, in filling certain posts not related to the establishment figure of 9,500.

As in other areas of the public service, challenges have arisen in the recruitment and retention of personnel with scarce and highly marketable skills, including pilots and air traffic control staff. Significant work is under way aimed at addressing these challenges. While there are difficulties in filling specific posts, the position is that officer ranks across the Defence Forces are currently operating at a figure of 87%. Any increase in numbers must, in monetary terms, be supported by spending adjustments in other areas, including military equipment and support services. The cost implications would have a multiplier effect, in that each additional member of the Defence Forces employed would involve the incurring of costs in other areas of defence spending. Therefore, any decision to increase the establishment figure of 9,500 must be considered in the light of the total cost the taxpayer would incur, not simply pay and allowances. The cost of an increase of 1,000 personnel, expressed in terms of pay and allowances only, is estimated at almost €50 million. When the costs of training, equipping and maintaining and other expenses are added, the figure will far exceed €50 million per annum. It is recognised internationally that the pay to non-pay ratio of military spending should be no lower than 70:30; thus every €50 million increase in payroll costs needs to be matched by the expenditure of at least another €21 million. That is an important aspect to be considered in this debate.

The White Paper also takes a developmental approach to the Reserve Defence Force. It confirms its role as augmenting that of the Permanent Defence Force in a crisis and contributing to State ceremonial events. At the end of February the effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force stood at 1,970. Recruitment to both the Permanent Defence Force and Reserve Defence Force remains a priority in 2017. Membership of the Reserve Defence Force is voluntary and the quest for recruits must compete with that it other organisations within the voluntary sector. These conditions, with the unique demands imposed by military service, make attracting recruits challenging at the best of times.

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