David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1291: To ask the Minister for Defence the numbers that have taken part and have been commissioned through commissioning from the ranks early commissioning from the ranks electrical and commissioning from the ranks IT, and the numbers that have joined the Defence Forces through direct entry (details supplied) since 1999 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2010/05]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1292: To ask the Minister for Defence when the Defence Forces will proceed with the commissioning from the ranks late course as initially proposed by the Feely report on commissioning; the reason, seven years after the flag officer command officers in the Naval Service urgently requested that this course be sanctioned, no progress has been made on this scheme; his further plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2011/05]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1293: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of short-term commissions, direct entry appointed in the Naval Service each year since 1997; the appointment of each officer; the number of these officers that currently remain in the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2012/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1291 to 1293, inclusive, together.

A total of 28 non-commissioned officers have been commissioned as officers in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service since 1999. The numbers and categories commissioned in each year are detailed in the following tabular statement.

Potential officers courses are held for non-commissioned personnel from time to time within the Defence Forces. Personnel who successfully complete such courses are commissioned as officers in the Permanent Defence Force. In addition, from time to time non-commissioned personnel who hold appropriate qualifications are commissioned to fill specialist appointments where vacancies arise. Eligible non-commissioned personnel may also apply for the annual cadetship competitions. Since 1999 a total of nine enlisted personnel have accepted cadetships from the cadetship competitions. The requirement for potential officer courses and commissioning from the ranks competitions is reviewed from time to time and is being specifically addressed in the context of the integrated personnel management system which is one of the major policy initiatives provided for in the White Paper on Defence and in the programme for Government.

Draft conditions governing the appointment of enlisted personnel of the Permanent Defence Force to be officers of the Naval Service are under discussion with the representative associations. As the discussions with the representative associations are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment on any of the specifics of the proposed draft conditions. However, it is my intention that a potential officers course will be run as soon as these discussions are completed. The Feely report referred to by the Deputy was an internal military discussion document and was not endorsed as Defence Force policy. It does not form my Department's policy in the area of commissioning from the ranks.

Since 1998, a total of 32 officers have been appointed on short service commissions from direct entry competitions held to appoint qualified personnel to the Naval Service. The detail of the numbers appointed, by category, in each year are outlined in the following tabular statement;

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1295: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of short-term commissioned officers whose contracts have not been renewed by the Naval Service each year for the past five years even though the officers themselves wanted to remain on as Naval Service personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2015/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The military authorities advise that the information sought is not immediately available due to archival work being carried out at present on the relevant records. I will write to the Deputy with the information as soon as it becomes available.