Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome the fact that we are not giving back money, if it is the case that we are not spending the full amount allocated for pay because of a lack of recruitment, the amount of money the Department is entitled to get for capital projects or other forms of spending will probably be necessarily reduced. We must identify how we can get Army strength up to the 9,500 members we set as the minimum requirement. I know that is a difficult task and that pay is part of it but there must be other elements to recruitment as well. Part of the reform of the Defence Forces in the future will be how we make it more attractive for people to join them on the basis that there is a good career ahead of them. I do not know if the Minister has any proposals in that respect.

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