Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 99, 103, 111 and 120 together. There are several Deputies here so I hope the Acting Chairman will give me some latitude when answering these questions.

As of 31 December 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 8,468 personnel, or 89% of the agreed establishment of 9,500. While the Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining, the agreed strength of each branch of the Defence Forces, there are a number of factors, many of which are hard to predict, that will impact on the timeframe within which this will be achieved. In addition to a range of measures already undertaken to address the staffing issues, the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which is currently being finalised, will also address this matter directly.

As regards current recruitment initiatives, general service recruitment is ongoing and resulted in 576 personnel being inducted in 2021. The level of turnover in the Defence Forces in 2021 was 7.89%, which includes those in training. It is worth noting that the average turnover rate for general service recruits who do not complete training, for a variety of reasons, has been approximately 30% over the past number of years. On the question raised by Deputy O'Callaghan, some 31% of commissioned officers have been inducted in the past five years.

In addition to ongoing recruitment, the scope of direct entry competitions, along with the terms and conditions, continues to be expanded and revised to improve intake. The re-entry campaign for former members of the Permanent Defence Force continues. The service commitment schemes in both the Air Corps and Naval Service and a special Naval Service tax credit for seagoing personnel are examples of targeted retention measures that I have introduced.

There has been significant progress on pay, arising out of increases due from recent pay agreements, the most recent of which was a 1% increase on annualised salaries or €500, whichever is the greater, on 1 October last year, with further increases to follow.

Additionally, the Public Service Pay Commission, PSPC, report on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces made a range of recommendations with a view to addressing recruitment and retention issues. These have been progressed through a series of projects. While the 2022 recruitment plan is not yet finalised, the Defence Forces remain committed to optimising the number of personnel inducted.

I am confident that along with all other initiatives under way, the pay benefits delivered by the public service pay agreements, in tandem with the implementation of the PSPC recommendations, will improve recruitment and retention challenges currently experienced by the Permanent Defence Force.

Furthermore, the Commission on the Defence Forces is finalising its work with a view to completing the report as soon as possible. The commission's report, when submitted, will be fully considered at that point. There is, as one would expect, a very strong emphasis on recruitment, retention and HR within the Defence Forces in its terms of reference.

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