Results 1-20 of 326 for defence forces strength speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: Diversity is an issue for the permanent Defence Forces and for the Reserve. My understanding is that, as of 31 October, the effective female strength of the Reserve Defence Force is 199 members. We need a lot more than that. All recruitment campaigns will be focused on trying to ensure the Defence Forces reflect Irish society, which is as diverse and gender-balanced as it possibly can be....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 27 together. I am always happy to answer questions on the Reserve because it is an area of the defence family I want to prioritise and, in the past, perhaps it may not have had the priority it needs. The Government remains committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF. Indeed, the White Paper on Defence has fully acknowledged that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: ...Nos. 8, 9, 18 and 33 together. We have already touched on some of these numbers, but I will go through them again. I note that tables of details of inductions, discharges and vacancies in the Defence Forces were requested and I will arrange for the Deputies who requested them to get them in writing so that there is no misunderstanding on where we stand on numbers. Recruitment and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy. The report of the commission on the Defence Forces made it clear that the level of ambition, LOA, for the Defence Forces needed to be elevated beyond that at which it is operating. In that context, the Government approved a move over a six-year period to a level of Defence Forces capability equivalent to LOA 2 in the report. This will require an additional 2,000...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I got the statistics I cited directly from the Defence Forces. Let us be clear on that. As it happens, I have my monthly recruitment and retention meeting with the general staff today. Every month now, I have a scheduled meeting on recruitment and retention with key leaders in the Defence Forces. We will keep having those meetings until we turn the tide on recruitment and retention...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together. I am informed that, contrary to what has been suggested, there is no exodus of doctors from the Defence Forces. Medical officers are recruited into the Defence Forces via two streams, direct entry and the military medicine training scheme, which is a five-year training programme leading to dual specialisation in both military medicine...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: ...is kept under consideration. Of the 13 direct entry competitions being utilised in 2022, 8 are in respect of the Naval Service. The campaign to re-enlist and re-commission former members of the Permanent Defence Force has also boosted specialist numbers. As at 31 October 2022, 24 Naval Service personnel were inducted comprised of 21 General Service Recruits, 1 Direct Entry Electrical...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: ...qualifications to operate as aircraft technicians, being inducted in 2021. 122 applications were received in 2022 and these are currently being processed. This level of interest in joining the Defence Forces is reflected in the total applications across all competitions, averaging some 10,000 per year in 2020 and 2021 and some 7,000 being received by the end of October 2022, with further...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191, 195, 196, 202 and 205 together. As at 31 October 2022, the strength of the Defence Forces was 8,074 comprised of 6,541 Army, 715 Air Corps and 818 Naval Service Personnel. The strength of the Reserve Defence Forces, comprised of the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve, and the Naval Service Reserve, was 1,810 personnel, the Army Reserve accounting for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (22 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together. The attached Table 1 outlines the variance between current strength and the establishment strength, by rank, within Permanent Defence Force as at 31 October 2022, the latest date for which such information is available. Table 2, attached, details the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel, by rank, that were discharged (as at 31...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Coveney: I can assure the Deputy that I have ongoing engagement with civil and military management on all matters affecting the Defence Forces, including staffing matters. The military authorities have advised that, as at 30 September 2022, 243 Defence Force personnel had discharged by purchase. The Government has previously acknowledged the recruitment and retention difficulties in the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. The following table details the current strength and establishment of the Permanent Defence Force, as of the 31 August 2022. - Current Strength (WTE) Establishment Permanent Defence Force 8,146 9,500 Army 6,621 7,520 Air Corps ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391, 392 and 393 together. As at 31 August 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, the strength of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force stood at 579, of whom 28 were serving overseas. The requested breakdown, by rank, of the 579 female PDF personnel is as follows: OFFICER LT GEN MAJ GEN BRIG...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve, the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The Government remains absolutely committed to the advancement of the RDF. The White Paper on Defence is quite clear that there is a continued requirement to retain and develop the Reserve and the Government remains fully committed to this. The strength of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: It is Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces, including the Reserve Defence Force (RDF), in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence Forces are drawn and serve. As of 31 July 2022, the effective female strength of the RDF is 194 members. In line with current policies and commitments, a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve (FLR), the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The combined effective strength of the AR and NSR, at year end, for the past five years is set out below: Year AR & NSR Effective Personnel (at year end) 2021 1,489 2020 1,588 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I have fully acknowledged the staffing issues affecting the Defence Forces. Personnel leave the Permanent Defence Force for a number of reasons including on age grounds, at the end of contract and on voluntary discharge. More than 50% of those who leave the Defence Forces do so with some form of pension which can make taking up a position in the private sector very attractive. My focus is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: The military authorities have provided the following details in relation to the vacancies that existed on 4 October 2022 in the Defence Forces School of Music. Rank Lt Col Comdt Captain Lt CS CQ Sgt Cpl Pte Strength 1 1 3 0 3 1 32 26 43 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I am very cognisant of the fact that the RDF strength level remains lower than the Establishment figure. However, I am aware of the many initiatives in place to recruit individuals to the Reserve. While the commitment to restoring the strength of the RDF is not in doubt, given the competing recruitment demands at present, PDF recruitment is and should remain a priority. I would add also...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 86 and 99 together. As at 31 August, 2022, the latest date such details are available, the strength of the PDF was 8,146 personnel or 86% of the current agreed strength of 9,500. 579 of these were women. My focus is on bringing the strength of the Defence Forces to the numbers required to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the...