Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Defence the steps that have been taken to implement the recommendation of the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Board Report, which was accepted by the Government, that the current members of the reserve of officers and men be reactivated and become involved in training of the RDF and the suitable members on discharge from the PDF should be encouraged to enlist with the FLR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22082/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The White Paper on Defence 2000 and the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan (2002) set out the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) together with an Implementation Plan extending to 2009.

The Implementation Plan is being rolled-out on a phased basis up to 2009. There has been significant progress to date in implementing the detailed recommendations of the Plan e.g. a new organisation structure implemented with effect from October 2005 and major improvements in clothing, equipment, training and resourcing. In addition, the RDF is now structured along similar lines to the PDF. The introduction of the integrated element of the Reserve is being addressed in the current year as a pilot exercise across all 3 Brigades. A publicity and recruitment campaign for the Reserve is planned over a 2/3 year period, commencing early in 2008.

The Implementation Plan recommends that current members of the First Line Reserve (FLR) be reactivated and that suitable members, on discharge from the PDF, should be encouraged to enlist with the FLR. This issue is now included in the Modernisation Agenda agreed with the Defence Forces Representative Associations in the context of Towards 2016 and will be progressed accordingly.

I am pleased that the Implementation Plan for the RDF is progressing well. My Department will continue to monitor progress in the remaining period of the Plan.