Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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46. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the way in which he plans to arrest the ongoing decline in membership of the Reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52897/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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How does the Minister of State propose to arrest the ongoing decline in the membership of the Reserve Defence Forces and will he make a statement in that regard, given that the membership is constantly decreasing and there is no reasonable prospect of any increases in the near future?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The White Paper on Defence confirms that the primary role of the Reserve is to augment the Permanent Defence Force in times of crisis. In non-crisis situations, the main focus is on training to prepare for that role. The Government has also assigned a formal role to the Reserve in respect of contributing to State ceremonial events. The Government appreciates the service of the members of the Reserve and the White Paper on Defence is clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve Defence Forces.

As of 31 October 2017, there were 1,733 effective personnel in the Army Reserve and 123 effective personnel in the Naval Service Reserve. I am aware that there is a shortfall between those figures and those of the establishment. The most recent recruitment campaign for the Army Reserve and Naval Service began in July 2017 and attracted 1,221 applications. A total of 128 personnel have been inducted to the Reserve Defence Force in 2017, which is an increase of some 60% compared to the 80 personnel inducted in 2016. The recruitment process has been streamlined so as to make it more efficient.

Given the competing recruitment demands at present, whereby Permanent Defence Force recruitment is and should remain a priority, recruitment to the Reserve is continuing but it should be noted that the same personnel and resources are utilised for both Permanent and Reserve Defence Force recruitment and the recruitment of up to 800 Permanent Defence Force personnel this year obviously impacted on resource allocation.

Two of the current phases of the White Paper actions to be implemented specifically relate to the RDF. One addresses the issue of improving the strength of the Reserve by attracting recruits from all backgrounds, while the other involves conducting a skills survey with a view to establishing a specialist Reserve. Both are well advanced. In the medium term, over the ten year lifespan of the White Paper other projects relating to the development of the Reserve will be examined and developed by the organisation.

I assure the Deputy that I remain committed to the ongoing development of the RDF within the framework set out in the White Paper on Defence and having regard to resource availability.

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Reserve has been in decline for some time. While it had 2,280 effective members at the end of 2015, this decreased to 2,049 at the end of 2016 and to 1,975 at the end of March 2017, and figures given to me last month show that the current total strength of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF, is now 1,856. There is therefore a downward trajectory all the time. Recruitment is the lifeblood of the Reserve, and without a steady flow of new recruits the organisation is doomed to erode away to nothing. Many reservists believe the decline in numbers is due not to a lack of interest on the part of people looking to join but due to the lack of importance with which the Reserve is viewed by elements within the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence. It is now clear to me, to many in the Reserve Defence Force and, I assume, the Minister of State that the single force concept does not benefit the Reserve. Will the Minister of State make a commitment that the Reserve Defence Force will be given a defined role, which is essential for both its future development and the morale of the organisation; that reservists will be allowed to play a meaningful and worthwhile role in support of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF; and that members of the RDF will become an integral part of the decision-making process surrounding their activities in order that they be involved? Until we address these key issues, the strength figures will go down and down again and we will back here in six weeks' time discussing the same issue.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I am determined to ensure that the Reserve Defence Force does not go into decline, but my number one priority must be recruitment to the PDF and getting its strength back up to 9,500 personnel. As I stated in my reply, the Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve began their recruitment campaign in July 2017 and attracted 1,221 applications, and 128 personnel have been inducted so far in 2017. I have asked for the reasons for the shortfall between the figures I have outlined and whether ensuring the medical and fitness tests take place on weekends has an effect. Most of these people are in full-time employment and are given the opportunity to sit their medical and fitness tests on weekends. A huge number of these people do not turn up on the date fixed for them. They have been given every opportunity. I have asked the Chief of Staff and the general staff to ensure applicants are given every opportunity to sit their fitness test and so on on weekends. I met representatives of the Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association, RDFRA, a number of weeks ago. One of the areas we discussed was recruitment, and I have put both civil and military-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I call on Deputy Chambers to ask her final question. We must have some order. There is slippage in the time allocated. If Members-----

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that the Minister of State is committed to the Reserve Defence Force but the figures are going down all the time. While we are standing here saying how committed we are, there needs to be action to address the fall in the numbers. I believe the Reserve Defence Force is being strangled when it comes to recruitment and the recruitment process. I have outlined to the Minister of State on a number of occasions the difficulties inherent in the medical and fitness tests and the timing of same. Garda clearance, specifically getting it back on time, is also a major issue, as is the lack of communication to people looking to join the Reserve Defence Force. There are issues here, and devolving the matter to the Reserve Defence Force itself might help address some of them. We need to examine the possibility of RDF members going overseas. This was mooted a number of years ago and needs to be put back on the table. We need legislation to ensure that members of the Reserve do not face any employment barriers, a review of legislation, Defence Forces regulations governing the RDF, regular recruitment campaigns for the RDF and new retention initiatives. I appreciate the PDF is a priority in the Minister of State's Department, but we can do both at the same time. We have that capability. It is not rocket science. Renewed efforts must be made. The Reserve Defence Force is meant to have a strength of more than 4,000 but we are now at 1,800, so these are dire straits. If we continue the way we are going, we will have no RDF left - the organisation will not exist.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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One of the areas the Deputy referred to was recruitment. I had a long conversation with the RDFRA about this and I have asked my Department, the Defence Forces and RDFRA to discuss what RDFRA wants out of the recruitment process, the way in which it wants it run and, if it has any ideas in this regard, to bring them to both the relevant civil and military bodies and ensure RDFRA knows the ways and means by which it wants to bring them to fruition. I am very open to that. I have stated on numerous occasions that if there are people who have specialisations in RDFRA, they should be given the opportunity to go overseas. This came under the single force concept as well. However, it is difficult for people to get time off work and so on. These people are normally in permanent full-time employment and for them to get five or six months off work can be quite difficult at times. I hope the decisions we made this year on the streamlining of security checks will make a difference for 2018. It is totally unacceptable that someone wishing to join the Reserve Defence Force is left hanging for five, six, seven, eight or nine months before he or she is notified of the decision as to whether he or she is being taken on, and I have stated this on numerous occasions. This is one of the reasons I have streamlined-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We will move on to other questions.