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

We do set targets at the monthly meetings, not only for the remainder of this year, but also for next year. We are also planning investment programmes for the year ahead. For example, we are finalising a concept brief for the transformation of Gormanstown as a specialist training centre dealing with significantly greater numbers than we can currently deal with. We are planning for the induction and recruitment of up to 1,000 people per year through such a facility, working with the Curragh and other facilities.

Much thought, planning and consideration is going into how, over the next six years, we can realistically get to the stage of having 3,000 more people in the Permanent Defence Forces than we have today. This would mean an average net increase of about 500 people each year, especially if we are going to be losing between 400 and 600 people per year. It is not unreasonable for an organisation to have a turnover level of between 7% and 9%. We need to get those numbers down as much as we can. However, we have to anticipate that people will be retiring and leaving the Defence Forces. We need to plan for those numbers and we are planning. We have the money to do it, as well as the policy basis.

Ultimately, this is about making a career in the Defence Forces more attractive in terms of pay, conditions, certainty, culture, adventure, career opportunities and development of skill sets in a combined package. Following the commission's report and some of the actions we have taken in recent months, they have improved significantly, but we need to continue this. A policy decision was made to move away from putting married quarters in barracks for reasons the Deputy will probably understand, relating to difficulties in the past. I accept there is accommodation within Baldonnel that is working well. I have an open mind, but we need to think through all the choices we make.

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