David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Defence when it is expected that agreement will be reached on the employment control framework for Defence Forces; and if he make a statement matter. [30264/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Within the context of consolidating the public finances, the Government is focused firmly on maintaining the operational efficiency of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF. Government approval was secured in the context of budget 2010 for a level of 10,000, all ranks. 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 PDF on 31 May 2010, the latest date for which figures are available, was 9,809, broken down as follows - 795 for the Air Corps, 1,018 for the Naval Service and 7,996 for the Army.

Officials from my Department, together with the military authorities, are in the process of finalising a review of the structures and posts required to meet the operational requirements of the PDF within the reduced numbers for submission to the Department of Finance. This will be completed shortly and discussions will then commence with the Department of Finance to agree an employment control framework for the Defence Forces. Once the framework has been agreed with that Department, 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 compliance with the overall parameters and controls set by the Government for each sector. It will be necessary to underpin the re-organisation with the required amendments to regulations and administrative instructions.

While these are challenging times, my priority is to ensure that the Defence Forces are organised, equipped and staffed in a manner that will ensure they can continue to deliver the services required of them by the Government. I am advised that, at this time, the Defence Forces retain the capacity to undertake the tasks laid down by the Government at home and overseas.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister stated that the review would conclude shortly. Could he be more specific? Will it conclude this year, next year or when? Does he agree it is critical that the employment control framework be put in place soon, given that the operational capability of the Defence Forces depends on the officer corps, the NCO ranks and so on being intact and maintained at a critical level?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I am always reluctant to be specific about a timeframe. In this instance, however, I am fairly confident that the review will be completed this month and that the initial discussions with the Department of Finance might take place within such a timeframe. Otherwise, the review will run until September, as Deputies will be aware, but that situation is undesirable. I am hopeful, if not entirely overconfident, that we will move on to the next phase with the Department of Finance this month.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister asserting that not only will he be in a position to put in place permissions to allow promotions, but that recruiting will recommence to bring the numbers up to the 10,000 to which he referred in his response?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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As Deputies will be aware, we have already commenced recruitment to the Naval Service, the area in most urgent need. Those new recruits will be coming on stream shortly. The next two phases will involve a cadet class - I have not completed discussions in this regard - and an intake to the military. I hope to move on this process towards the end of the year.

In previous years, the number of personnel leaving was considerably greater than is the case currently. This would have given room for a recruitment campaign that enabled us to deploy people to the areas most in need. However, a small number of personnel are leaving, so the leeway in terms of deploying people is not as great as one would like.