Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces units in which the establishment strength in station for officers is running at less than 50% for November 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52899/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My question is on numbers in respect of the establishment strength in station for officers where they are running at less than 50%.

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 of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 October 2017 stood at 9,219, whole-time equivalent, which is 97% of the establishment.

This comprises 7,417 member of the Army, 744 members of the Air Corps and 1,058 members of the Naval Service. The establishment strength of 9,500 provides for the full staffing of each unit within the Defence Forces organisational structures. The ratio of strength to establishment for each unit is determined by the extent to which vacancies within the establishment for each unit are filled. There are vacancies across most units and recruitment efforts are under way to address those vacancies.

In this context, personnel deployed from units or engaged in development training should not be confused with vacancies. Units are maintained in order that personnel can be deployed, not in order to remain fully manned in barracks. The Defence Forces have always drawn personnel from units for overseas service and other deployments. Personnel also engage in training on an ongoing basis. This is to be welcomed and any decisions regarding scaling back on overseas deployments, deployments at home or training will be informed by the advice of the general staff. I can confirm that I have not received any such advice.

Given the unique and demanding nature of military life, there is, understandably, a significant annual turnover of personnel in the Defence Forces. However, in recent years the levels of departures have exceeded intakes and this has limited the Defence Forces' ability to meet their establishment strength. To counteract this, ongoing targeted recruitment has taken place with the objective of returning to, and maintaining, the stated establishment figure of 9,500.

As I have previously outlined, there are particular challenges with vacancies in certain specialist posts, such as those relating to pilots, air traffic controllers and certain technicians. These specialists can prove difficult to retain where, as in the current economic circumstances, there are ongoing private sector and commercial semi-State sector job opportunities. The Public Service Pay Commission will further examine the issue of retention of specialist personnel in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020.

The number of officers as of 31 October 2017 was 1,056 out of an establishment of 1,233. The suggestion that there are vacancies in 50% of officer posts in units is clearly at variance with these figures. The number of cadets in training has substantially increased recently, with approximately 100 cadets having been recruited in each of the years 2016 and 2017. Approximately 70 cadets will be commissioned as officers in January 2018.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

On foot of issues raised in the climate survey, I have brought forward a White Paper project to examine skills gaps across the Defence Forces. This will provide an opportunity to examine any gaps arising across the Defence Forces and to bring forward recommendations having regard to work practices, training practices and other issues arising.

The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. Personnel are posted on the basis of operational needs across the organisation both at home and abroad.

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.

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My question relates to the number of units in which the strength in station for officers is running at less than 50%. When replying to that point, the Minister of State referenced cadets and training. That is not the same as officers in station. When questions are put to the Minister of State and his Department about the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, his response always makes reference to the establishment and the strength of the Defence Forces. On the previous occasion on which I put that question to him, like today, he confirmed that the Defence Forces are at 97% of their establishment strength. Does the Minister of State acknowledge that the Defence Forces establishment only factors in trained personnel and does not account for personnel in training? They are not the same. Is it not the case that this figure of 97% misrepresents the actual number of trained personnel while also failing to factor in the complete numbers deployed on operational duty?

I know that the Minister of State was presented with certain figures on officer numbers and on strength in station at the RACO conference. That is the basis of my question to him today. Some of the figures with which I was presented showed that many units are operating with less than 50% of their establishment officer strength. The ordnance unit, that is the bomb disposal unit, has an establishment figure of 21 officers but has eight in station. One battalion has only five officers out of an establishment figure of 25 in station. In another, there are seven out of 25 and in one case there is only one fifth of the establishment strength. Why does the Minister of State fail to factor in the number of lieutenants and captains who are unavailable because they are on permanent postings to overseas units into Defence Forces establishment figures? Clearly, there are units operating with less than 50% of their establishment officer strength in station.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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First, I recognise that we do have challenges at officer level, specifically at the ranks of lieutenant and captain. There were, however, increases in the cadet classes in 2016 and 2017 and I am committed to continuing to have large intakes of cadets because it is the only way in which we can address the challenges we have at officer level. I do not want to stop officers going overseas or availing of further education. It is very important that they upskill themselves in that way. There are a number of areas in which we are trying to address challenges through the Public Sector Pay Commission next year. Civil staff, the military and the representative associations will be looking at specialist pay. That was highlighted in the report of the Public Service Pay Commission in May 2017. It highlighted that there were challenges in the Defence Forces. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, has stated that specialist pay negotiations with the Public Service Pay Commission will include certain areas in the health sector and the Defence Forces. They are two priority areas for the Minister and for the commission.

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The reason we asked the question about strength in station is so that we can ascertain the level of officer numbers. This is the management level of the Defence Forces. I know for a fact that the Minister of State was presented with figures at the RACO conference which showed that a number of units including ordnance-bomb disposal, transport and engineering are currently operating at below 50% of their establishment strength in station. They do not have the requisite number of officers. The engineering corps is operating at 50%, the ordnance unit at 38%, and the transport corps is operating at 20% strength in station. When the Minister of State is asked the question about the level of officers in each station and references those who are in training or overseas, it does not give us an accurate picture of what is happening. I am not for a second saying that we should restrict the numbers of those going overseas, in training or undertaking further education. We need to allow that in order to maintain standards. However, we also need openness and transparency when it comes to painting the picture of what is happening operationally. When the Minister tells me that we are at 97%, we know that is not the case. That figure includes those in training and those not available to carry out duties. That matters. The figures need to accurately reflect the numbers in station and available for duty. The figures provided by the Minister of State's Department are inaccurate.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The figures I gave are accurate. I got them from my Department. The current officer strength level is 86%. I absolutely recognise that we have challenges in specific areas. I have stated this on numerous occasions. I am trying to come up with proposals and ideas on how to surmount those challenges. One of the things I have asked for is direct entry and re-entry. A number of officers, specifically those who were in engineering posts, pilots and those who were serving with the European Defence Agency, EDA, want to come back into the organisation. I do not disagree with the Deputy and I will not say that we do not have challenges. I do not believe, however, that the figures she has highlighted are the real figures. I would be the first to state that there are challenges at junior officer level. That is one of the reasons we have increased the number of cadets coming in.