Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Defence if it is intended to increase the strength of any or all the Defence Forces in view of the expected demands for overseas deployment in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26324/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Defence the strength by rank of the Army; the way this figure compares with 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26333/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 238 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. A detailed breakdown of the numbers in the Permanent Defence Force by rank as at 30 September 1998 and 31 May 2008 are in the form of the following Tabular Statement.

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 primarily to the requirement to prioritise funding for the Chad mission, it has not been possible to provide funding to activate this provision in 2008. This matter will be further considered in the context of the 2009 Estimates.

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. 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.