Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Defence when the commitment made in the programme for Government 2007 to provide the Defence Forces with an additional 350 military personnel in training will be fully implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6360/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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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.

The agreed Programme for Government provides for an additional provision of up to 350 troops to be in training at any given time. However, as I already made clear to the House in December last it has not been possible to provide funding to activate the provision in 2008. This is due primarily to the requirement to prioritise funding for the Chad mission. This matter will be further considered in the context of the 2009 Estimates.