Written answers

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Department of Defence

Defence Forces Recruitment

9:00 pm

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 501: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of non-Irish nationals recruited to the Reserve Defence Force in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7643/10]

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 502: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of non Irish nationals who have applied to join the Reserve Defence Force but have been refused. [7647/10]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 502 together. In the time available it has not been possible to collate figures due to the manual nature of the Reserve Defence Force records system. The military authorities advise me, however, that they are currently preparing this information and as soon as it is available it will be provided directly to the Deputy.I

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 503: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to relax the regulations regarding non Irish nationals joining the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7649/10]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Defence Force Regulations have always allowed for the recruitment of foreign-nationals to the Defence Forces. Non-Irish Nationals have been and are currently employed in the Permanent Defence Force, but this has mainly been in certain specialised areas.

Entry to the Permanent Defence Force is either through the Cadetship Competition, Apprenticeship Competition, General Service Enlistment or Direct Entry Competitions which are held to fill vacancies in specialist appointments. All applicants for each of these entry streams are required to meet qualifying criteria.

There are generally more applicants for positions in the Defence Forces than places available. My Department and the Defence Forces are fully committed to ensuring that all suitably qualified candidates who wish to do so are given the opportunity to join the Defence Forces. The primary focus in recruitment is to attract people with the core competencies required by the Defence Forces.

The regulations for recruitment are periodically reviewed to ensure that they meet the operational requirements of the Defence Forces. There are currently no plans to change the regulations in this regard.

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