Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress made on agreeing an employment control framework for the Defence Forces that would enable some recruiting and promotions to resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23698/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Within the available resources, the Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at a level of 10,000, all ranks, for which Government approval has been secured in the context of budget 2010. This reflects the reductions in personnel recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes.

I am advised by the military authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 30 April 2010, the latest date for which figures are available, was 9,856 broken down as follows: 797 for the Air Corps, 1,023 for the Naval Service and 8,036 for the Army.

Officials from the Department together with the military authorities are currently engaged in a review of the structures and posts required to meet the operational requirements of the Permanent Defence Force within the reduced numbers. Following on from this review, discussions will commence with the Department of Finance to agree an employment control framework for the Defence Forces, which is sustainable within a figure of 10,000 serving personnel in the Permanent Defence Force.

The position with regard to promotion is that once the employment control framework has been agreed with the Department of Finance, sanction for promotion will be delegated to the Department of Defence, with ongoing control monitoring by the Department of Finance on a monthly basis, to ensure ongoing compliance with the overall parameters and controls set by Government for each sector.

With regard to recruitment, as the Deputy will be aware, I have recently approved the recruitment of 40 recruits to the Naval Service. In addition, the military authorities will shortly advertise for some limited recruitment to the Army. While these are challenging times, my priority is to ensure that the Defence Forces are organised, equipped and staffed in a manner which will ensure that they can continue to deliver the services required of them by Government.

I am advised that at this time the Defence Forces retain the capacity to undertake the tasks laid down by Government both at home and overseas.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister aware that a commitment was given that the employment control framework would be agreed and presented to the Department of Finance by the end of April?

A commitment was given that the employment control framework would be agreed and presented to the Department of Finance by the end of April. It is now a month since that date and this has not happened. My understanding is that it has been sat upon or, some would say, is now suppressed or bogged down in the Department of Defence. Will the Minister take a hands on approach here? It is critical that the employment control framework gets to the Department of Finance as soon as possible.

I remind the Minister that the Defence Forces, perhaps more than any other Department, have complied with everything asked of them. They responded to all requests concerning reduction in numbers, from 15,000 not so long ago to 10,000 now. They have been held up as a flagship for other civil servants and Departments and are now being treated very unfairly because of non-movement due to the employment control framework.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I assure Deputy Deenihan and the House that the delays from the original date mentioned by the Deputy in regard to the employment control framework have arisen because of the additional work required. I can assure him absolutely there is no foot dragging on the part of the Department or the military authorities. It is a very important exercise and one which must be dealt with subsequently with the Department of Finance.

I agree strongly with the point made by Deputy Deenihan in regard to the progress made by the Department of Defence. It is incumbent on all of us who have a role to ensure the Department does not suffer on foot of that when across the board cuts are made. Sub-departments are in a better position to absorb them because they have not been to the fore in addressing this situation to the extent mentioned by Deputy Deenihan.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to stress the urgency of agreeing the framework on which, at this moment, 200 jobs are hanging. If 200 jobs were created in this country tomorrow morning, there would be major announcements about it. There are 200 people waiting to take up employment when this is agreed and surely that is enough of a reason to expedite the measure.

Will the Minister also confirm that the mentioned figure of 10,000 is both a maximum and a minimum figure, and not a ceiling? Is he aware that 200 jobs are dependent on the employment control framework which deals with the strength and structure of our Defence Forces?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I have no doubt progress will be made within the figure of 10,000 personnel agreed for 2010 and also within whatever may arise from the employment control framework proposals which, in any event, must be agreed subsequently with the Department of Finance. The figure of 10,000 is the employment number agreed for 2010 and, as I stated, we have already commenced the process of recruiting to the Naval Service. When I was answering questions last month I made the point that we needed to fill the posts in a targeted way to ensure we would have the capacity in each individual area to make sure that the services which are required of the military, the Naval Service and the Air Corps authorities can be fulfilled.