Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the recommendations made at the recent Annual Delegate Conference of RDFORRA that the future development of the Reserve Defence Force depends on advances in recruit training, including the recruitment of individuals after their Leaving Certificate and the provision of training for them for six or eight weeks during the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23510/10]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Defence when recruitment will commence into the Reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23349/10]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 81 of 20 January 2010, if the review of the Reserve Defence Forces has commenced as provided for in the 2009 to 2011 phase of the Government's Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative; the details of progress made regarding the future development of the RDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23449/10]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Defence the reason training programmes have not been put in place to facilitate a better trained reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23348/10]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 81 of 20 January 2010, his plans regarding the future development of the Reserve Defence Forces; the current number of reservists; the budget for training of the RDF in 2010; the amount expended to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23450/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 26, 27, 37, 46 and 54 together. The Reserve Defence Force review implementation plan has provided the framework for the development of the reserve over recent years. The plan outlined a series of steps which were designed to significantly enhance the quality of training within the Reserve Defence Force. These steps, together with re-organisation, enhanced working relationships with Permanent Defence Force units and improved equipment were intended to enhance the capability of the Reserve Defence Force and improve interoperability with the Permanent Defence Force.

Over the period of the plan, training syllabi have been reviewed and reformed, new training introduced and there have been improvements to the equipment for use by members of the reserve. A revised training strategy is now in place. This is supported by new syllabi and includes training delivery through distance learning and the affiliation of RDF units with PDF units.

The plan also provided for the development of an integrated element of the reserve. This element of the reserve was to integrate and train with the Permanent Defence Force. The integrated element of the reserve was to receive additional training to the non-integrated element with members undertaking a minimum of 21 days paid training, in addition to unpaid training. A pilot integration programme was introduced in 2007 and extended into 2008. The numbers participating in the pilots were lower than anticipated, at just over 300 reservists over the two-year period. Although the uptake of this training was disappointing, valuable lessons have been learned.

I am aware that there is a wide variety of views on how best to develop the reserve. A value for money review of the Reserve Defence Force has begun. The steering committee overseeing this review has recently met and has discussed possible approaches to stakeholder consultation. I have been informed that it will be commencing this consultation on a phased basis over the coming weeks and months.

As of 30 April 2010, there were 6,304 reservists, with 6,035 in the Army reserve and 269 in the Naval Service reserve. Recruitment is ongoing at the moment. The provision in 2010 for Reserve Defence Force training, including paid training and gratuities, is €4.7 million. Members of the Reserve undertake both paid and unpaid training. This will provide in 2010 for approximately 31,000 man days of paid training. Having regard to the number of reservists availing of paid training over recent years, this should provide reservists with seven days paid training and allow for certain career courses in line with reserve priorities. There will also be an increased reliance on unpaid training.

The bulk of reserve expenditure occurs over the summer months and gratuities are paid at year-end. Approximately €550,000 of that has been utilised to date.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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The number of the Reserve Defence Force has been reduced from 24,000 a few years ago to just over 6,000. However, the international trend has been to increase the size of reserve defence forces. For example, many British army personnel in Afghanistan are from its reserve defence forces. We seem to be going the opposite way in Ireland and there seems to be a deliberate policy to reduce the numbers and to make the Reserve Defence Force irrelevant. I see huge opportunities for a vibrant reserve defence force in this country.

Why was the Reserve Defence Force not used during the recent "big freeze" and flooding? It was not used and its members were not asked, which is something that came up at their conference. It strikes me that we are going against the international trend, and the Government is not asking the reserves to be a necessary aid to the civil power, which is something they are supposed to do.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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An element of the international trend in many countries has been that the numbers in permanent defence forces have been dramatically reduced and replaced by similar numbers in the reserve defence forces. I would not be happy to go down that path. There is a requirement for a particular level. We have been discussing that in terms of numbers, but I think we should be discussing it in terms of capabilities of the Permanent Defence Force, especially in respect of its interoperability requirements, such as when members of the Permanent Defence Force are operating with Finnish troops on foreign missions, as we were in Chad, and in other UN and EU sponsored missions. In some cases, troops from other countries tend to have a substantial number of reserves, which is something that appears to work quite well. Nevertheless, we need to maintain the basic requirement for the Permanent Defence Force and then examine what we need from the reserve.

The question tabled by Deputy Stanton encapsulates the nature of the challenge, which is to figure out exactly the nature of what we require from the Reserve Defence Force. We may require three or four things or more. The pilot programme was entered into quite properly, and we have major lessons to learn from that.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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The Reserve Defence Force representative organisation pointed out that the quality of training for reservists is not consistent throughout the country. Would the Minister like to comment on that?

There is a number of reasons the recruitment of more people into the Reserve Defence Force is socially desirable. Organisations such as the Reserve Defence Force, the Irish Red Cross, the Knights of Malta and the Civil Defence actually add to the capacity of the community in terms of skills, leadership quality and so on. With such high levels of unemployment, there is a great need to get young people involved in the Reserve Defence Force in order to give them something useful to do. It will enhance their employability but I believe it will also contribute in large degree to making our community a more skilled place by having people available who have the type of skills that can support the community when in need, whether required by particular individuals or because of disasters. Broadening the role of the Reserve Defence Force and giving it a more relevant and meaningful role in the context of today's needs in our country requires urgent attention. I very much encourage the Minister to take it as a real priority.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise to Deputy Deenihan as I missed an important element of his previous question relating to the involvement of the Reserve Defence Force in instances such as the snow and ice. We need to learn from that for the future because the Permanent Defence Force personnel involved did an outstanding job and the public appreciated it, particularly in the areas where it was really needed. It seems a role for the Reserve Defence Force can be examined. The Civil Defence was very much to the fore, particularly during the flooding.

The point made by Deputy O'Shea on it being socially desirable is very important and I fully agree with him on it. Unfortunately, there are economic constraints and sometimes no matter how much one wants to avoid it one is forced to pick priorities and deal with them. It is something I want to examine in the context of where we see the future of the Reserve Defence Force.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I want to take supplementary questions and time is short so if the Minister bears with me I will take the supplementary questions and the Minister might give an expanded response.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I missed the point about training, which I will deal with.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Do the numbers mentioned by the Minister include the non-effective list where the Reserve Defence Force is concerned, and if not will he at some stage, if he does not have the information to hand, let us know what is the up-to-date non-effective list versus the effective list? Will the Minister agree that some young people are attracted to things military and the Reserve Defence Force met that need at a relatively low cost regarding discipline, fitness and career preparation? Is it necessary to pay reservists the same amount as regular soldiers? Could more be included if that was looked at?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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In any future recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force will the Minister put emphasis on the recruitment of women? Will he give us an indication on what proportion of the current Reserve Defence Force is made up of women? I am sure it would be a way of encouraging women to get more involved with the Permanent Defence Force.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I will have to come back to Deputy Deenihan on the number of women because I do not have the information with me. I think I know the numbers with regard to effective and non-effective but I will send them on to Deputy Stanton. It is also important. I agree with his point on military discipline and all of the other elements which are quite attractive to young people and have positive potential. The question of costs, which he raised, is one which we will not be able to dodge if we want to have a meaningful role for the Reserve Defence Force in the future, which I strongly believe we must.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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The Minister did not respond to me on the consistency of the quality of training for the Reserve Defence Force throughout the country.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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My apologies. That has been mentioned to me anecdotally and I will come back to the Deputy in the House on the matter because if it were true it would need to be addressed.