Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 65 together.

I thank the Deputy for raising the question. As I outlined earlier to Deputies, the military authorities have advised that as of 31 December 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,550 personnel. A total of 750 personnel were discharged in 2023 and 415 personnel were inducted. The Commission on the Defence Forces stated in its report that it was satisfied that, in broad terms, levels of average turnover are not out of line with other military organisations internationally.

In an effort to stabilise numbers, I have instructed that additional enlisted personnel and cadets be recruited in 2024 beyond the projected induction figure, and for military management to respond with their plan to implement this action. An allocation of €1.23 billion for the defence sector in budget 2024, which includes a provision for the recruitment and training of at least a net additional 400 enlisted personnel in 2024, will assist in this regard.

Current strategies on recruitment in the Defence Forces will also support efforts to stabilise numbers. The Defence Forces have engaged a marketing and media partner to assist with recruitment advertising to ensure engagement with the recruitment demographic across social media and other media platforms. Specific advertising for specialist recruitment is placed in industry specific publications and websites. As part of the Naval Service specific recruitment campaign, phase 3 of a Naval Service recruitment advertisement will launch in the last week of January 2024.

I discussed earlier the Be More with the Irish Defence Forces campaign which continues to talk about opportunities in the Defence Forces.

The establishment of the joint induction training centre in Gormanstown will also greatly assist with recruitment into the future. Military management advise that when fully operational, it will enable induction training to be provided to 900 recruits per annum. That is a significant investment.

We then have the recruitment of cadets and direct entry specialists which will continue in 2024 and is expected to expand as the terms and conditions of a new Air Corps cadetship stream and direct entry officer role are under consideration, as are further increases in age limits for entry. We have increased the limits by which people can join the Army and the Defence Forces.

We brought in specialist external expertise to look at the entire recruitment processes in the Defence Forces to validate them and to advise on recruitment processes. They made significant recommendations. Suffice it to say that change is needed in the recruitment processes and in how we can optimise our spending in the media and in recruitment more generally.

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