Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

5. To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for the development of the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1216/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The question focuses on the future development of the Reserve Defence Force. I tabled the question given that the Minister had made a very positive statement about the Reserve Defence Force at an Estimates meeting of the Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality before Christmas. It is also based on the fact that a little earlier the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality had heard a very detailed presentation from the representatives of the Reserve Defence Force from across the country who were exceedingly pessimistic about the commitment of the Department of Defence to the development of their organisation.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I state categorically that I am very committed to the further development of the Reserve Defence Force.

A value for money review of the Reserve Defence Force, published in November 2012, identified a range of issues that were adversely affecting the capacity of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve. These included high turnover of personnel, a poor uptake of training and inefficient organisational structures.

The review recommended a range of measures to ensure the continued viability of the Reserve Defence Force. These measures included the implementation of revised organisational structures based on a strength level of approximately 4,000 personnel, implementation of revised recruitment policy and practice, a critical review of the approach to the delivery of training, a revision of the regulatory criteria for classifying reservists as effective and the preparation of options for the future development of the first-line reserve.

Implementation of the value for money review recommendations is ongoing. The revised single-force structure, introduced in March 2013, offers significant potential to enhance Defence Forces capabilities through improved interoperability between permanent and reserve elements.

At present, reserve units remain under-strength, which is a problem, and a key priority is to recruit further members of the reserve in order to reach strength level targets. Revised recruitment procedures were introduced with the goal of improving retention rates. However, the numbers recruited to date have proved disappointing. Progress in this regard and the implementation of other recommendations of the value-for-money review are being closely monitored.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Does the Minister accept that while the integration of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces is a very positive thing, operationally it has presented difficulties in the short term and that, in effect, the Reserve Defence Force has been imposed on some permanent units? That provides for difficulties arising, not least in areas in which there is assessment through the operation of performance indicators.

There may well be a problem in terms of the protection that exists for employees generally across the State who may wish to participate in the Reserve Defence Force. Is it the view of the Minister that some legislation or regulation is required to enable employees to have time off from their employment so that they can participate in the reserve in a way that is necessary now but may not have been in the past, when much of the activity of the reserves was carried out at weekends or in the evening?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The results of the recruitment process last year were not good. We had 2,146 applicants. Of those, 1,857 were eligible, a large number of whom withdrew from the process. After a fitness test and interview procedure, only 152 new people were inducted into the reserve. Issues and problems need to be overcome in terms of the numbers of suitable people applying.

We need to consider other options. A parliamentary question has been tabled on employment protection and law, the answer to which is very negative from my perspective. I do not think that, for the moment, we can consider introducing regulations or legislation which would require employers to facilitate people taking time off. We have a pretty fragile economy at the moment and many businesses would find that difficult. However, we need to consider all of these things and have an open mind. At the moment the answer to that particular question is "No," but if we cannot find other ways to increase the number of volunteers who want to be part of the reserve we will need to examine all measures to ensure we have sufficient numbers.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In that regard, the Minister has put his finger on the problem. In the new system, passing the key performance indicators is critical to a person's continued involvement and successful participation in the Reserve Defence Force. These types of assessment invariably take place during the hours of 9 a.m to 5 p.m.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Not always.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My understanding is that this is what is happening. Therein lie many of the difficulties for the reservists. It is proving necessary for them to take time off work. Unless some sort of arrangement can be worked out with employers, it is difficult to see how we can develop the Reserve Defence Force along the model initiated by the Minister's predecessor.

Everything the Minister has said about the reservists has been very positive. Will he meet with the representative body as a matter of some urgency? If we are to develop the Reserve Defence Force - everybody here wants to see that happen and it is very much in the national interest that it would happen - it is necessary for the Minister to engage with the representative body.

At this stage its members are quite despondent, and this would revive enthusiasm for the mission with which it is involved.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Of course I will meet people from those bodies. I will meet representatives of the Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, tomorrow at the Defence Forces headquarters in Kildare. I am happy to meet them and maybe visit some of the training facilities being used and so on.

The point of having a single approach, if we call it that, to training is to ensure that if we have to call on the reserves in the event of a natural disaster, for example, they can operate in a seamless way with the Permanent Defence Force. They should be training together and the training facilities should be shared so we can have the capacity to respond when necessary. We need to find systems that allow people who are essentially volunteers and working in a normal life setting - they include business people and those working in retail outlets - to be able to marry with their lifestyle a commitment to the Reserve Defence Force. If that means we need to schedule interviews, fitness tests, etc., in a way that suits such people, we will need to look at that. My understanding is that we are considering the matter.