Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Defence

Defence Forces Recruitment

9:00 pm

Photo of Arthur MorganArthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 823: To ask the Minister for Defence if, upon the lifting of the embargo on recruitment in the Permanent Defence Forces, consideration will be given to recruiting a percentage of recruits from the Reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48285/09]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Arising from the Government Decision on Public Service numbers, which took effect from 27 March 2009, recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force has been suspended with effect from that date.

I am in contact with the Minister for Finance about the implications of the Government Decision on the Permanent Defence Force. In my statement on the Defence Budget, I confirmed my commitment to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at a level of 10,000 all ranks, for which I have secured Government approval in the context of Budget 2010. It is however, too early to confirm the position in relation to further recruitment.

My Department and the Defence Forces are committed to ensuring that all suitably qualified candidates, including those who are members of the Reserve Defence Force, who wish to do so are given the opportunity to join the Permanent Defence Force. The primary focus in recruitment is to attract people with the core competencies required by the Permanent Defence Force. In this regard membership of the RDF is advantageous when applicants are being interviewed in that it affords them the opportunity to augment their own life experiences with those from their time in the RDF in order to display their suitability for enlistment in the PDF. While Reservists are encouraged to apply for positions in the PDF and many do, it is not intended to set targets for recruitment from the Reserve.

Photo of Arthur MorganArthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 824: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the number of Irish nationals serving in foreign armies; if his further attention has been drawn to the increase of Irish nationals joining foreign armies since the embargo was put in place by the Defence Forces here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48286/09]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Arising from the Government Decision on Public Service numbers, which took effect from 27 March 2009, recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force has been suspended with effect from that date. I am in contact with the Minister for Finance about the implications of the Government Decision on the Permanent Defence Force. In my statement on the Defence Budget, I confirmed my commitment to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at a level of 10,000 all ranks, for which I have secured Government approval in the context of Budget 2010.

Since the formation of the State a number of Irish Nationals have and are serving in Armies other than the Irish Defence Forces. However I have no information in relation to the number of Irish Nationals who have joined a Foreign Army since the effective date of the Government Decision on Public Service numbers. Any enlistment of Irish Nationals in a Foreign Army is a matter of individual choice.

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