Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the statement by the secretary of PDFORRA at its recent annual conference, that in order to maintain full strength Defence Forces of 10,500 personnel and to provide for an additional 300 troops who will be in training at all times, that the Government should also look at the recruitment of non-Irish nationals, perhaps with some Irish citizenship rights for those recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29857/07]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress that has been made by the Chief of Staff in regard to his previous review of recruitment into the Defence Forces at all levels and implementing changes that will facilitate recruitment from among cultural and ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34160/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 80 together.

The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 set out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force as the strength sufficient to meet all foreseeable military requirements for the period comprehended by the White Paper (i.e. up to 2010). This remains the position. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces. This recruitment will continue to maintain the strength at the level set out in the White Paper.

To facilitate the Defence Forces in maintaining a strength of 10,500 the agreed Programme for Government provides for an additional provision of up to 350 troops to be in training at any given time. However, due to the requirement to prioritise funding for the Chad mission, it has not been possible to provide funding in 2008 to increase the approved strength of the Permanent Defence Force to the level provided for in the Programme for Government. This matter will be further considered in the context of the 2009 Estimates.

The question of the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces is not a new one. Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces. I know that people from diverse backgrounds have already been employed in the Defence Forces, but this has mainly been in certain specialised areas. This has worked well — albeit on a limited scale. Currently my emphasis is on ensuring that there are no barriers to ethnic minorities or foreign nationals joining the Defence Forces.

Entry to the Permanent Defence Force is either through the Cadetship Competition, Apprenticeship Competition, General Service Enlistment or Direct Entry Competitions which are held to fill vacancies in specialist appointments. All applicants for each of these entry streams are required to meet qualifying criteria. The Cadet Competition is the entry level for recruitment as an Officer of the Defence Forces. As you are aware, I have made changes to the Cadet competition to broaden the entry criteria thereby making it easier for qualifying foreign nationals to apply for cadetships.

I asked the Chief of Staff to review recruitment into the Defence Forces at all levels and to implement changes that would facilitate recruitment from among cultural and ethnic minorities. I am of the view that this can only enhance our Defence Forces. The Military Authorities are equally committed to increasing the participation of people from ethnic and cultural communities in the Defence Forces. To achieve this, the Defence Forces are:

Developing a strategy for Cultural Diversity Management. A new Defence Forces advertising campaign will be launched to reflect its strategy for cultural diversity.

Establishing links with all ethical and cultural community groups based in Ireland, in order to brief the groups on the Defence Forces and its current entry requirements. The groups will be invited to forward submissions to the Defence Forces on their views of service in the Defence Forces and to highlight any barriers they deem unfavourable to recruitment that may exist.

On the 30 November 2007, the Defence Forces issued their Equality, Diversity and Equal Status Policies. This document includes the Defence Forces:

Gender Equality Policy,

Anti Racism Equality Policy,

Discrimination and Promotion Policy,

Equality of Opportunity in Recruitment and Advertising of Jobs,

Equal Opportunities in the Interview Process,

Equality of Opportunity in Job Orientation and Job Induction,

Equality of Opportunity in Overseas Service, Career Promotion and Progression.

In relation to recruitment there are generally more applicants for positions in the Defence Forces than places available. My Department and the Defence Forces are fully committed to ensuring that all suitably qualified candidates who wish to do so are given the opportunity to join the Defence Forces. The primary focus in recruitment is to attract people with the core competencies required by the Defence Forces.

The appropriateness of foreign nationals being allowed to join the Defence Forces and through membership of the Defence Forces earn citizenship has not been considered. The granting of citizenship in any circumstances is primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the first instance.