Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will ensure that the Reserve Defence Forces in areas (details supplied) in County Tipperary will continue to parade each Tuesday night in their localities as they have done now for 50 years and that they maintain their own halls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37299/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The 31 Reserve Artillery Regiment (RAR) has Units based in Templemore (HQ Coy), Thurles (2 Gun Bty) and Nenagh (3 Gun Bty). Nightly parades have historically been conducted in Templemore and Nenagh on Tuesday nights and Thurles on Thursday nights. The delivery of quality training for members of the Reserve is dependent on a number of factors. The military authorities have informed me that, in light of the numbers presenting for training at the above mentioned locations and having regard to the rank and the training differentials of those Reservists, it is not currently possible to deliver quality training, weekly, at all of these locations.

To address this situation the military authorities have informed me that they intend to introduce a training centre rotation policy for these Units, whereby training will be conducted for all the Units on Tuesday night in one centre and then rotate the following week to another of the three centres. It is anticipated that this approach will facilitate the achievement of the critical mass of reservists for training purposes and enhance the quality of training. The upcoming Value for Money Review of the Reserve Defence Force will provide an opportunity to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of such alternative approaches to training delivery.