Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Defence the top rate of pay for the rank of commandant within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35055/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Defence the top rate of pay for the rank of colonel within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35056/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Defence the top rate of pay for the rank of lieutenant colonel within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35057/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Defence the retirement age for the rank of commandant, colonel, lieutenant colonel and all ranks of general within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35058/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of commandants due to retire on age grounds for each of the years 2007 to 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35059/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of colonels due to retire on age grounds for each of the years 2007 to 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35060/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of lieutenant colonels due to retire on age grounds for each of the years 2007 to 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35061/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of generals due to retire on age grounds for each of the years 2007 to 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35062/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 to 188, inclusive, together.

The Minister for Finance announced in his 1994 Budget Statement that modified PRSI would no longer apply to new public sector employees recruited on or after 6 April, 1995. The position therefore, is that there are two sets of pay scales for officers of the Defence Forces, i.e. rates for those recruited prior to 6 April, 1995 and who are liable to pay PRSI at Class C and for those recruited on or after 6 April, 1995 and who are liable to pay PRSI at Class A.

The rates paid to members of the Defence Forces is dependent on whether they are Line Officers (Rate 1), Technical Officers i.e. Engineer Officers, Legal Officers, Army School of Music Officers, Executive Branch and Communications Officers of the Naval Service, Psychologists and Military Analyst (Rate 2), Medical Officers i.e. Doctors and Dentists (Rate 3) and Pharmacists (Rate 31). The top rate of pay for the members of the Defence Forces in the ranks of Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel are outlined in the following Tabular Table 'A': The retirement ages for the rank of Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and all rank of General are as follows.

With regards to your questions in relation to the number of officers due to retire on age grounds. Please see the following Tabular Statement 'B' which details the number of officers in the rank of Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General and Lieutenant General respectively due to retire on age grounds in each of the years 2007 to 2011 inclusive. There are no immediate plans to extend the retirement age of officers ranks in the Defence Forces.

The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force Review Implementation Plan both recommended reduction to retirement ages in an effort to address the age profile and fitness of the Defence Forces. More recently on the other hand, the retirement age for people recruited into some areas of the public service has been increased. A trend of improvement in the age profile in the Defence Force has been achieved through a programme that included early retirement packages, regular recruitment and short-term contracts.

A key element in military life is the need for personnel to maintain a level of fitness for combat readiness. There is constant need to balance this requirement with the need to retain experience and expertise particularly at managerial level in the Defence Forces. I will continue to monitor the needs of the Defence Forces in this area and mindful of ongoing experiences in other areas of the public services will introduce change in this area if required.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of other ranks that have been enlisted since 1994 and are subject to short-term contract; the duration of this short-term contract now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35063/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Defence if, when a member of the Defence Forces on short-term contract is promoted, the length of time their contract is extended for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35064/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Defence the retirement age for other ranks that enlisted before 1994; the duration of this short-term contract now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35065/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Defence the retirement age for corporals, sergeants and senior non-commissioned officers who enlisted in the Defence Forces since 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35066/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 to 192, inclusive, together.

In 1997 agreement was reached with the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) on a new manpower policy for the Defence Forces. This policy, applying to personnel enlisted after 1 January 1994, provided that service for Private Soldiers would initially be for five years with the option to be extended to a maximum of twelve years. Extension from 5 to 9 years and from 9 to 12 years were subject to the individual soldier meeting certain criteria including standards of medical and physical fitness, conduct and courses attended or period of overseas service.

In 2004 PDFORRA submitted a claim under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for a further review of the terms of service applying to personnel enlisting in the Permanent Defence Force after 1 January, 1994. Following detailed and prolonged discussion on this claim a set of criteria has been agreed. The criteria meet PDFORRA's desire to provide longer careers in the Permanent Defence Force while continuing to address the Government's previously stated objective of having an appropriate age profile to meet the challenges of a modern defence forces. The criteria require that any person re-engaging must be able to continue to operate at their current level both at home and overseas on an ongoing basis.

Re-engagements will be subject to the individual soldier meeting specified criteria in regard to physical fitness, medical category, successful completion of military courses of instruction, service overseas and conduct ratings.

Following a ballot of all post 1994 personnel PDFORRA have advised that their members accepted the agreed criteria for re-engagement (after 12 years service) and continuance in service (after 21 years service). As a result personnel enlisted after 1 January 1994 may now serve beyond the current 12 year limit.

Since 1994 and up to 24 October 2006, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 7,488 personnel have enlisted for general service under the 5 year contract.

Promotion does not directly affect the duration of an enlisted person's contract. An enlisted person who has been promoted has to apply and meet the normal criteria for extension.

In relation to retirement ages, in accordance with Defence Force Regulations, a person:

who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force before 1 January 1994 may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of sixty years, and

a person who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 January 1994 may be permitted to continue in service up to the age of fifty years in the rank of Sergeant and to the age of fifty-six in all higher ranks.

Enlisted Personnel, in the rank of Corporal, who enlisted after 1 January 1994, may not serve beyond 21 years service.