Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the recommendation in the report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes that the allocation for the reserve Defence Force be reduced by two thirds; if it is intended to implement this recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34784/09]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the opinion expressed in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes regarding the reserve Defence Force. [34848/09]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Defence his proposals in regard to the future of the reserve Defence Force. [34850/09]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Defence the plans for the future of the reserve Defence Force; and the number at present and the projections for the future. [34692/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 11, 29 and 38 together. The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes included a recommendation for full year savings of €5.6 million, arising from a two thirds reduction in the strength of the reserve Defence Force. This is one of many recommendations contained in the report.

Planned expenditure levels for my Department will be considered as part of the budgetary and Estimates process for 2010. This includes consideration of the recommendations contained in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes. The decisions on all of the issues arising will be a matter for the Government. As this is the subject of an ongoing deliberative process, it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this point.

The Government introduced a moratorium on recruitment to the public service with effect from 27 March 2009 and, as with the broader public service, the defence organisation is required to operate with reduced funding. My first priority for the reserve was to consolidate the gains that have been made over recent years. In this context, limited recruitment in order to replace existing members who leave during the course of 2009 was sanctioned. This ongoing limited recruitment is being closely monitored and will be kept under review in light of the uptake of paid training and the future budgetary provision available to the Department of Defence. At the end of August 2009, the total strength of the reserve was 6,973.

While the budgetary provision for training of members of the reserve has been reduced for 2009, a total of 60,000 paid training man days has been provided. This is sufficient to allow all current members to undertake paid training during 2009. The budgetary constraints and moratorium on recruitment have also required the postponement of overseas service for members of the reserve for the foreseeable future.

The Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan has provided the framework for the development of the reserve over recent years. Revised organisation structures came into effect in October 2005 and the reserve has been reorganised along similar lines to the Permanent Defence Force. In line with the plan, new equipment, clothing and opportunities for improved training have been delivered. The development of an integrated element of the reserve was intended to further enhance the capability of the reserve. In line with the plan, a pilot integration programme was introduced in 2007 and extended into 2008. The numbers participating in these pilots were disappointing and this element of the plan has not achieved the intended results. As the Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan is reaching its conclusion, there is a requirement to critically examine the progress that has been made to date and to consider options for the future development of the reserve. This will be informed by the valuable lessons learned from the implementation process.

In addition, the Reserve Defence Force was selected for review as part of the 2009–11 phase of the Government's value for money and policy review initiative and this review is scheduled to commence in the near future. It is anticipated that the review, together with the general budgetary situation, will also assist in informing decisions regarding the future development of the reserve.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister confirm the breakdown between effective and non-effective participation of the 6,973 members of the reserve? How many of these reserve members attended training courses this year? I understand from what the Minister has said that the integrated reserve has now been put on the back burner and it is likely he will not persevere with that proposal. Also, the front line reserve was promoted as part of the overall plan. What are the plans now for the front line reserve? It would be easier to put those plans in place rather than put the integrated reserve in place because the front line reserve would include former personnel of the Defence Forces.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The figure for those classed as non-effective as of 1 August is 989. With regard to the integrated and front line reserves, my focus is on preserving the reserve at a reasonable strength. I do not accept fully the recommendations of the McCarthy report. I am trying to do my best to preserve the reserve and to consolidate the progress we have made in implementing the initial 2000 White Paper on the reserve over the past number of years.

On the integrated reserve, only approximately 300 people have trained for this, which is disappointing. Both the integrated reserve and the front line reserve will have to wait for the moment. As the Deputy knows and as I have informed the House, we are committed to a second White Paper on Defence to take matters forward from here. Both matters will be dealt with in that context.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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The Minister knows both Deputy Deenihan and I will support his efforts in maintaining the strength of the Reserve Defence Force. With regard to the current strength of the reserve, the McCarthy report proposes reducing it by a further 2,000. Is that correct? I am concerned in that regard. The numbers in the Permanent Defence Force numbers are also decreasing and if the trend for this year, so far, is repeated next year and the following year, we could have well over 1,000 fewer members of the Permanent Defence Force.

The tasks carried out by the Reserve Defence Force to augment the work of the Permanent Defence Force are important, for example, the provision of armed escorts, of logistical support and security of vital installations. Does the Minister expect we will reach a stage where the combined manpower of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Force will not be adequate to take on all the tasks needed in support of the civil power and the national interest?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the Deputy's first question, what the McCarthy report proposes is that we reduce the reserve by two-thirds, with a view to saving €5.6 million. Therefore, only one-third of what remains of the reserve would survive the McCarthy proposals.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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What figure did McCarthy work on?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I think he worked off the figure at the beginning of the year, approximately 7,500. Therefore, he was talking in terms of having a reserve of approximately 2,500.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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The figure the Minister gave for the current strength of the reserve was 6,973. Is the two-third reduction McCarthy proposes a two-third reduction on the White Paper figure or the figure as it stands?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I think it is the figure at the beginning of the year, which was approximately 7,500.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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That number is further reduced at this stage.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, but I will double check the situation for the Deputy. When the moratorium was first introduced, we were advised by the Department of Finance it also applied to the reserve. We had a situation where we had a certain number of non-effective people each year - people who do not turn up for training etc. - and numbers were continually dropping, so I got sanction from the Department of Finance for limited admissions to the reserve to keep it up to the strength it was at the start of the year, which was approximately 7,500 or 7,600. We have been recruiting on a phased basis to bring the numbers back up to that number and are committed to not letting the reserve fall below that number. I am very anxious to preserve the reserve, but am prepared to do whatever we have to in order to engage in the budgetary process.

On the other question asked by Deputy O'Shea, I am also determined to preserve the maximum number of people in the Permanent Defence Force. The McCarthy report recommends we reduce numbers to between 10,000 and 10,500 in total, but does not make it clear whether it sees that as a permanent reduction or a reduction during the period of the financial crisis. However, McCarthy suggests the reduction should be made over a two to three year period. Due to the moratorium, numbers have already reduced to just over 10,000. This is a matter for discussion between me and the Minister for Finance, but I am committed to maintaining the greatest possible strength in both the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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More than 1,000 people qualified for admittance to the reserve this year, but only 200 were selected. Therefore, 800 young people who went through all the procedures and who complied with fitness tests and character assessments were left disappointed. How much does it cost to recruit one reservist?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is a very specific question.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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If the Minister does not have the information, that is fine. The point I am making is that it makes sense at this time to encourage young people to join the reserve. It gives them discipline, keeps them fit, gives them a sense of responsibility and a sense of nationhood. Rather than discourage people from joining the reserve, we should be encouraging them. Has the Minister any intention to encourage more people to join the reserve? What plans has he to encourage them or will the decline continue, irrespective of the McCarthy recommendations?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I find myself, once again, in total agreement with Deputy Deenihan. We should be encouraging people to rejoin the reserves. The changes we have made in terms of better equipment, training, uniforms, etc., are an encouragement in itself, as well as the fact that we have targeted gratuities - the more training one does the more one earns, or as near as possible. Basically we are going through a difficult time but I want to re-emphasise to the House that I am committed to the reserves.

Deputy Deenihan's initial question is a good one because it occurred to myself to ask why, if we are committed to maintaining 7,600 or whatever at the start of the year, have we only taken on 200, because we are supposed to take on another 700 or so under that mandate? The Army has told me there is recruitment on a phased basis. The director of the reserve force decided on the criteria in which he would recruit people. Some of the people selected, then, were not interested, but I have asked the Army to speed it up. It is agreed that it is happening too slowly and the Army is going to speed it up. A number of the young people, as mentioned by the Deputy, will be accommodated, hopefully, in the very near future.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Given that there are 450,000 unemployed and the figures are rising and the fact that reserves are recruited from the 17 to 35 age cohort, is there merit in the Minister having discussions with his colleagues, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to see whether there are ways to use the Reserve Defence Force to upskill people, to occupy them usefully and put them into services that support the civil power, so that they might, for instance, retain their welfare payments or whatever? We need to think outside the box, and rather than accepting the projected reduction in numbers - no doubt while the Minister will fight his corner, there may be some inevitability about this - we will need to look at other ways to cater for that group of people who, because of unemployment, need to be upskilled and involved in activities that raise their self-esteem and give them a sense of usefulness. This would be in terms of providing services that are in the public interest and that would add to our society.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister aware, as I pointed out previously, that young people, especially close to the Border, are joining the reserve force in Northern Ireland, another jurisdiction? Surely it is somewhat embarrassing to us in the Republic that we cannot accommodate these people here.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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As regards Deputy OShea's question, I stand open to correction. I thought that if somebody in receipt of social welfare wanted to become part of the Reserve Defence Force, that would not interfere with his or her entitlement. That was my understanding of the position.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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My point is that there should be an extension of the arrangements already in place.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I take the Deputy's point and we should use the Reserve Defence Force more in relation to the unemployed in terms of reskilling, etc. That is something I shall think about.

With regard to Deputy Deenihan's point I was not aware that there were great numbers of people flooding across the Border to join the reserve in the North. However, I shall take his word for it. As far as I am concerned, my job involves facing cutbacks in my Department and a specific recommendation from Mr. McCarthy, whose report constitutes the backbone of what we are considering in terms of budgetary matters at the moment, to the effect that the Reserve Defence Force should be cut by two-thirds. My priority is to keep as many as possible not only in the force but also in the Permanent Defence Force. When we come to discuss these matters, I will not be found wanting, and I appreciate the support of the Opposition.