Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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18. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the current recruitment programme for the Defence Forces; the stated objectives of the new campaign to recruit more women and to engage with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, minority communities and new citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17138/16]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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I ask this question to seek further detail from the Minister of State on his plans to recruit members of the Permanent Defence Force from the LGBT community, minority communities and new citizens and to increase the percentage of women in the Permanent Defence Force from 6% to 12%. The Defence Forces have a proud record at home and abroad and I am sure this tradition would benefit from having an increased number of members from diverse backgrounds.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his question and wish him the best of luck in his new role.

The 2016 general service recruitment competition closed to applicants on 22 May 2016. At the time of closing, there were 4,590 applications with 15% or 680 of applicants being female.

The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities.

A number of specific initiatives have been implemented to increase female participation in the Defence Forces, including: the Defence Forces have visited many female schools to promote a career in the Defence Forces to women; the Defence Forces have targeted female sports clubs to heighten awareness of the opportunities for women in the Defence Forces; female websites have been targeted as part of the recruitment campaigns; special consideration is paid to women as a target group for recruitment; there is a representative composition between men and women on recruitment and selection boards; and a gender adviser operates to promote gender equality policies and training within the Defence Forces.

Unlike many other national armed forces, the Defence Forces have no restrictions as regards the assignment of men or women to the full range of operational and administrative duties. Women, therefore, play a full and meaningful role in all aspects of Defence Forces operations at home and abroad.

Notwithstanding these recent proactive initiatives, I believe that there is a need to continue to develop and promote strategies that support increased female participation in the Defence Forces. The White Paper on Defence 2015 noted that "a key impediment in achieving greater numbers of women serving in the Defence Forces is the lack of women recruitment applicants relative to men".

Additional initiatives were undertaken since 2014 to promote a career in the Defence Forces to women through outreach to schools and to sports clubs and through social media. The recent 2016 campaign built on these initiatives and was designed specifically to target females through increased engagement in the recruitment process and competition advertising.

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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The Minister of State's reply was short on reference to the LGBT community. Is the Minister of State confident that he can attract a sufficient number of women to the Permanent Defence Force and, in effect, double their representation in the force?

I understand from quotes in the media that recruitment will be targeted towards women who are sporty, as they are team players and winners. I hope the recruitment process is more targeted and scientific than that. The fitness requirement for the Defences Forces is already in place as part of the recruitment process. I believe we need to broaden the net in this recruitment drive. Our soldiers need to be more than just athletes.

As the 2015 White Paper on Defence highlights, we need to make the recruitment of more females a priority in our Defence Forces. We need to reflect UN Security Council Resolution 1325 requiring parties to conflicts and peacekeepers to have a greater awareness of the effect of war on women and this requires a complex skills set which I know the Defence Forces provides. We do not want to inadvertently isolate good candidates from the recruitment process before it even begins.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Initiatives established in 2014-2015 continue to be developed through active engagement with organisations such as the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, GLEN, in order to promote the Defence Forces as an employer. This engagement will include an external audit of the Defence Forces by GLEN in terms of organisational culture and diversity in 2017. In addition, work is well progressed on a Defence Forces equality and diversity policy encompassing gender and equality issues, which I plan to publish in the near future.

I am aware of the need to give females every opportunity to join the Defence Forces. I already indicated that the 2016 general service recruitment campaign was designed specially to target females through increased engagement in recruitment processes and competition advertising. This included specific provisions in social media and digital advertising, targeted advertising and the introduction of a female information programme. I can assure Deputy Ryan I am aware of female members of the Defence Forces visiting girl schools across the country to attract female recruits.

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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If we are to increase the number of women and members of the LGBT community and the new Irish communities, we need broad and inclusive recruitment campaigns aimed at removing barriers.

On another related matter on the recruitment process generally, I received a number of representations in recent years regarding the psychometric testing which takes place. I am aware of two cases, in particular, where individuals passed the fitness test but were unable to proceed in the process due to failing the psychometric tests. I have come across a case in which an individual failed the psychometric test and had to reapply when a recruitment process was opened.

Psychometric testing can cut people out of the process candidates, people who in subsequent applications prove to be successful candidates for the Permanent Defence Force. Would the Minister of State consider re-calibrating the recruitment process so that the psychometric test takes place after, or alongside, the interview process and perhaps taking a look at this as part of a greater review of the recruitment process for the Permanent Defence Force?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As Deputy Ryan will be aware, psychometric testing is important for entry to the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána and many other organisations. The candidate must have a specific skill set. The psychometric testing is a challenge. I am aware of some candidates passing it online and failing when they go physically to take it in an examination hall.

That is unfortunate and many people have come to me to say that. The psychometric testing is very important for the recruitment of all candidates.

As a matter of policy, the Government believes the military forces of this State should appropriately reflect and integrate the demographics of the whole population. To that end, the Defence Forces are committed to the principles of equal opportunities in employment policies, procedures, instructions and regulations. The Defence Forces operate in an environment without discrimination in all areas covered by Equality Acts. The Defence Forces seek to ensure that the principles of equality are adhered to in the recruitment, induction, employment and daily routines of training, education and promotion. We look to work with diverse communities to give people the opportunity to join the Irish Defence Forces and we are specifically focused on gender issues.