Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the White Paper on Defence 2015, it was recommended that we would have a Defence Forces strength of 9,500 personnel. That was after the reorganisation. As the Deputy well knows, everybody was very much involved in the preparation of the White Paper on Defence 2015, including all Opposition party Members, many stakeholders, military management and everyone in the Department. A massive amount of work was put into that and it was recommended that we would have a force strength of 9,500. There is ongoing recruitment into the Defence Forces at officer and recruit level. I would absolutely like to see it get back up to 9,500 personnel. I look forward to the publication of the independent pay commission to address some of the challenges we are dealing with at present.

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