Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to increase the strength of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32327/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Defence the strength of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32266/06]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of personnel in the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps; the quantity of sick leave experienced by each sector over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32171/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on increasing the strength of the Defence Forces to accommodate and compensate for overseas deployments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32360/06]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will comment on concerns expressed at the PDFORRA annual conference that military personnel levels are dropping at a time when additional commitments are coming on stream for the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32310/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Defence if it is intended to increase the strength of the Defence Forces in line with the requirements arising from UN overseas deployments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32562/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Defence if the strength of the Defence Forces needs to be augmented in view of current and proposed participation in UN or EU peacekeeping or peace enforcement missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32564/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of women by rank in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; if these numbers have fluctuated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32568/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 36, 53, 54, 60, 174, 176 and 180 together.

The strength of the Permanent Defence Force on 31 August 2006, the latest date for which detailed figures are available, as advised by the military authorities is 10,382. A detailed breakdown of the numbers in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps by rank and gender are in the form of a Tabular Statement which I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

In total there are currently 545 female personnel serving in the Permanent Defence Force. Over the past nine years, the strength of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force has increased from 244 at the end of 1997 to 545 at present. This constitutes an increase of over 100% in the number of females serving over this period.

The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women in the Defence Forces (Army, Air Corps, Naval Service) including the Reserve Defence Force, and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities.

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. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. Recruitment into the Permanent Defence Force will continue to maintain the strength at the level set out in the White Paper as required to meet military needs. The Defence Forces continue to have a proactive approach to all aspects of recruiting.

The Defence Forces manage recruit intakes to keep its annualised monthly average strength at or around 10,500. The strength of the Defence Forces as at 31 December in the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively was 10,498, 10,551 and 10,446.

There is a planned total intake of 255 personnel (Cadets, Apprentices & General Enlistment) before the end of 2006, with an expected outflow of 150 personnel in the same period. Recruit intake will be finalised in December 2006 to ensure that the annualised monthly average strength is at or around 10,500.

The White Paper on Defence provides for an allocation of up to 850 Permanent Defence Force personnel to be deployed overseas at any one time through the United Nations Standby Arrangements System (UNSAS). While this may be exceeded for short periods, deployments above this level are not sustainable on an ongoing basis within existing resources. Any commitments to EU or UN missions will be met within this context. There are no plans to increase the numbers serving in the Defence Forces above the levels provided for in the White Paper.

There are currently 663 personnel deployed on overseas operations with a planned deployment of 158 personnel to UNIFIL at the end of October, 2006. On deployment to UNIFIL the number of personnel deployed on overseas operations will be 821 which is within the 850 allocation for overseas deployments that is the maximum overseas capability of the Defence Forces.

Details of the sick leave levels experienced by the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps over the last twelve months are not readily available. The Military Authorities are compiling this information such detailed information will take some time to collate from individual records at unit level, and I will write to the Deputy with this information, as soon as it is available.

Lt Gen = Lieutenant General

SM = Sergeant Major

Maj Gen = Major General

BQMS = Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant

Brig Gen = Brigadier General

CS = Company Sergeant

Col = Colonel

CQMS = Company Quartermaster Sergeant

Lt Col = Lieutenant Colonel

SGTS = Sergeants

Comdt = Commandant

CPLS = Corporals

Capt = Captain

NCOS = Non Commissioned Officers

Lt = Lieutenant

PTES = Privates