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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 9, 18 and 33 together.

We have already touched on some of these numbers, but I will go through them again. I note that tables of details of inductions, discharges and vacancies in the Defence Forces were requested and I will arrange for the Deputies who requested them to get them in writing so that there is no misunderstanding on where we stand on numbers.

Recruitment and retention difficulties in the Defence Forces have been previously acknowledged. In addition, the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces made it clear that the level of ambition, LOA, for the Defence Forces needed to be elevated beyond that at which it is currently operating. In that context, Government approved a move, over a six-year period, to a level of Defence Forces’ capability equivalent to LOA 2. This will require an additional 2,000 personnel beyond the current establishment figure of 9,500. As we said earlier, the figure is now higher than 2,000.

As I outlined in response to the previous questions, the Defence Forces are developing strategies to increase recruitment to address the current shortfall in numbers and to plan for future increases. The target is to realise a Defence Forces strength of 11,500 by 2028, incorporating an appropriate civilian component.

A range of initiatives are under way to counter the existing staffing challenges. In respect of recruitment, there is ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment with further inductions due to take place before the end of the year. A separate recruitment competition has also been launched specifically for Air Corps recruits, who in the past were drawn from the wider general service recruitment pool.

The scope, and terms and conditions of the direct entry competitions remain under ongoing consideration. The campaign to re-enlist and recommission former members of the Permanent Defence Force has also boosted specialist numbers. The “Be More” recruitment campaign, launched this year, highlights the career opportunities available in the Defence Forces and also the wider benefits of membership, in line with one of the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces to enhance the visibility of the wider benefits of membership of the Defence Forces.

Retention measures being implemented include service commitment schemes in the Air Corps and in the Naval Service and the seagoing naval personnel tax credit. Pay has improved as a result of increases arising from the Public Service Pay Commission report and from recent pay agreements as well as the early implementation of some of the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces. Agreement has also been reached on the extension of service limits for privates and corporals. I recently agreed an interim arrangement with the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, in respect of sergeants.

My focus is on bringing the strength of the Defence Forces to the numbers required to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

I will outline some of the numbers available to me. There were 735 discharges and 452 inductions as of 18 November 2022. That is a net loss of 283. We have not reached the turning point of achieving net increases given the recruitment and retention challenges we face. As I said at the start of this Question Time, we will meet every month to focus on recruitment and retention until we turn those numbers around and start to build numbers rather than managing losses.

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