Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of officers commissioned from the ranks since July 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32353/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 31 enlisted personnel have been commissioned from the ranks in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service since 1997.

The revised cadetship competition is now seen as the primary means of commissioning from the ranks. The cadetship competition has been revised to increase the maximum entry age to 28 and to award bonus marks to candidates with previous experience in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) or Reserve Defence Force (RDF). Results for the 2006 cadetship competition were encouraging with 13% of PDF and 8% of RDF applicants being successful in obtaining cadetships as against 4% of "civilian" candidates.

Consultations with the representative associations are ongoing regarding the conditions for a Commissioning From the Ranks competition, which it is intended to hold in the coming months. This competition will provide an opportunity for enlisted personnel who have passed the cadet entry age to compete for entry on a potential Officers Course and ultimately, a commission. The outcome of this competition will inform policy on the issue of similar future competitions.

In addition non-commissioned personnel who hold appropriate qualifications may be commissioned to fill specialist appointments where vacancies arise.