Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Defence if the FCA as an organisation is being stood down; if summer training camps are being discontinued; if recruitment has ended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16877/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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There are no plans to stand down the Reserve Defence Force. The budgetary provision for training of members of the Reserve has been reduced but will provide sufficient funds to allow all current members of the Reserve to undertake paid training. Summer training camps have not been discontinued.

The Government introduced a moratorium on recruitment to the Public Service with effect from 27th March 2009. In this context and given the reduced budgetary provision available for 2009, all recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force has been suspended for the present.

The Reserve Defence Force has been selected as a review topic for inclusion in the 2009-2011 round of the Government's Value for Money and Policy Review initiative. It is expected that the findings of this review, the general budgetary situation together with lessons learned through the RDF Review Implementation Plan process, will assist in informing decisions regarding future plans for the Reserve.