Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be clear, the target in terms of what the effective strength of our Reserve Defence Force should be remains the same. We do not disagree on that figure in terms of where we need to get to. When the regeneration and development plan was published in July 2024, one of the four operational objectives was to get us to that effective strength of at least 80% by 2028. If we were to map out exactly what 80% is, it is around 3,500. That is the sort of ball park we are in. I am not saying that is where we stop, but that is where we have line of sight in terms of where I believe we can get to. The effective strength in terms of ambition remains the same.

I did have the pleasure of meeting the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association. It was a very good meeting. I do not want to speak for them, but they noted the progress in the office being established and now the regeneration plan. Like all representative bodies, quite rightly, they will want to hold my feet to the fire in terms of making sure we are implementing and driving forward those recommendations, and I am determined to do that. I also want a Reserve that can seamlessly train, operate and deploy on a voluntary basis with our Permanent Defence Force both on the island and overseas.

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