Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if operational Army units are operating with up to 50% of the officer numbers required; the percentage of officers assigned to operational Army units, in tabular form; and the minimum number of officers that should be attached to these units. [15270/17]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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In the case of operational army units, will the Minister of State clarify whether the units are operating with only 50% of the officer numbers that are required to ensure their proper operation?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The 2015 White Paper on Defence commits to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel. The whole-time equivalent strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 28 Feb 2017 stands at 9,070 with 7,293, 701 and 1,076 personnel in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, respectively.

The Defence Forces have a policy of ongoing recruitment with the objective of returning to and maintaining its stated establishment figure of 9,500 personnel. In total, 590 general service recruits - 501 Army and 89 Naval Service - were inducted in 2016, along with 100 cadets between all services. Both the cadet and general service recruitment campaigns are presently active. The cadet campaign covers requirement for line and specialist officers including engineers for the Army and Naval Service and pilots for the Air Corps. The Defence Forces are planning for the induction of 850 to 900 new entrants in 2017.

With regard to the officer staffing levels of individual units, I am informed by the military authorities that this is a very difficult figure to quantify, as the strength in barracks can vary from day to day given the operational requirements of units within the barracks and other training and support commitments. Such commitments can result in Permanent Defence Force personnel normally garrisoned in a barracks not being present. The record will show a table which gives an overall synopsis of the strength against establishment figures for officers as of the end of January 2017. As is evidenced by these figures, officer ranks are operating at more than 90% of the established strength.

With the support of the Chief of Staff and within the resources available, it is intended to retain the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake both the home and overseas tasks laid down by Government.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The information I have is that in some instances the number of officers is so low that those in ranks below them must move to other barracks to perform routine duties. I understand the points being made by the Minister of State in a number of replies today around the recruitment ban to the effect that numbers were not there or that soldiers and other members of the Defence Forces of different ranks have left the forces to go into the private sector, and that these factors have hampered the ability of the Defence Forces to operate at the desired maximum. What steps are being taken to ensure the required numbers of officers are present and trained, when the length of time for training is taken into account? There are internal restrictions in various parts of the Defence Forces that also impact on this situation. Some duties, for example, cannot be carried out until one has reached a certain officer grade. Are those restrictions also being looked at to ensure that officers who are qualified - but without the internal requirement - can step up to the mark at this stage?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for the Chief of Staff and the general staff to operate within the numbers of officers they have. As I have said, the strength level for officers at present is quite strong and stands at 100%, 100%;100%, 91.2%; 93%; 99.2%; 85% and 98% for the ranks of lieutenant general, major general, brigadier general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, commandant, captain and lieutenant, respectively, while the full strength level is at 93.23%. There are a number of issues in that regard as there are different tasks and officers could be on a junior command and staff course or could be abroad etc. One must send officers abroad for their own formation and experience. As the Deputy is aware, and as I have stated in the Chamber many times, we had the highest number of cadets entering into cadet class in September 2016. That will be the same for 2017 as I intend that there will be a similar-sized cadet class.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State has read out what the targets are or what is achieved and he said that officers can be abroad or sick and we understand this. It is, however, bad planning if there are ongoing vacancies and absences because of training and other duties. It means that those positions are not filled. In other companies in other walks of life there is the possibility for people to act up into positions so that when somebody is not available the person can step into their shoes on a temporary basis. I understand that this cannot be done with the same authority in the Defence Forces. Perhaps the Minister of State can look at the issue of allowing personnel from a lower rank to step up if a person from a higher ranking post is absent, for whatever reasons.

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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On the subject of whether units are operating at half their capacity in respect of the officer corps, the Minister of State has said that it is a difficult number to quantify. It is not difficult. We are talking about small enough numbers. The Chief of Staff and the Department of Defence should be able to quantify if units have sufficient officer numbers or if they do not. It is well documented and Deputies have asked questions on the topic previously about the number of officers in each unit. We have had these figures back from the Minister of State's Department. It is well documented that we are operating way below the required capacity.

The reason the Minister of State is losing people is that the corps is severely depleted. Morale is quite low. Retention is not a priority for his Department it seems. The disbandment of the Western Brigade was a massive mistake which should be rectified. Pay and conditions, not just of the officer cohort but also of the enlisted men and women, are appalling. Officers are telling me that they want the men and women they command to have better pay and conditions. They cannot get time off. There are no officers to step in and take over if somebody wants to book leave. Basic pay and conditions are at issue. They are hanging on waiting for the next cadet class to come through because they are so stretched. When the Minister of State says it is a matter for the Chief of Staff to operate within the number of officers he has, that is not the case. We expect a certain level of service. If we do not have the resources and manpower needed, that level of service cannot be supplied.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will start with those at the level of colonel. The establishment figure should be 34 and is 31. At lieutenant colonel level, there should be 110 and there are 103. At commandant level, the establishment figure should be 257 and is 255. At captain level there is an issue, to which I will return. At lieutenant level the establishment figure should be 167 and is 165. I do not believe they are under strength.

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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They are massively under strength.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I absolutely refute that suggestion. There is an issue with people operating in an acting-up capacity as captains. It is my information that, in all ranks, somebody can be brought up to act in someone's position if he or she is not available, is abroad or whatever. I understand that the captain level is the only one at which someone cannot take the position in this manner. I could be wrong on this so I will get back to the Deputy on it. I have asked the Chief of Staff, through the Secretary General of the Department, to look into this matter.

They are absolutely not under strength. The figures I have here came to me as recently as yesterday evening. To state that they are under strength is a total misnomer.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We will move on to Question No. 12 in the name of Deputy Lisa Chambers. There will be one supplementary question only because of the time factor.