Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 495: To ask the Minister for Defence the present strength of the Defence Forces; the number of new recruits for each of the past two years; the number of men and the number of women recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27174/04]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 sets out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 930 for the Air Corps, 1,144 for the Naval Service and 8,426 for the Army.

On 30 September 2004, the most recent date for which figures are available, the actual total strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 10,419. The number of general service recruits enlisted in each of the past two years is as follows:

It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces to fill vacancies as required.