Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Defence the reason since the end of the Cold War that Ireland has not increased its reserve defence elements as have other western states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23397/10]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans, if any, to enhance the role of the Reserve Defence Force in fishery protection and in the smuggling of illegal drugs and guns into the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23345/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 62 and 79 together.

The White Paper on Defence (2000) sets out the Government's Defence policy, having regard to an assessment of the defence and security environment. It set out the blueprint for the Reserve Defence Force based on a strength in the region of 12,000.

The Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Plan was formally launched in July 2004 and provided for the phased enhancement of Reserve capabilities over the period to end 2009.

The plan set out the proposed establishment of the Reserve. The Non-Integrated element of the Reserve was to have an establishment of 9,692. This establishment came into force in October 2005 when the Reserve was re-organised.

In addition, the plan provided for the development of an integrated element of the Army Reserve with a proposed establishment of 2,656 personnel. In line with the plan a pilot Integration project was initiated in 2007 and continued into 2008. Just under 300 Reservists participated in these pilots, which was less than anticipated and disappointing.

The numbers in the Reserve have declined over recent years, notwithstanding the improvements brought about under the implementation plan. It should also be noted that, as part of the implementation process, a more rigorous approach is now taken to removing the names of non-effective personnel from Unit rolls. This accounts for part of the fall in numbers over recent years.

A Value for Money Review of the Reserve Defence Force has been initiated and it is anticipated that the findings of this review will inform the future development of the Reserve Defence Force. This review will also complement the development of a new White Paper on Defence. There are no plans to revise the roles of the Reserve in advance of this review being published.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Reserve Defence Force is a part-time, voluntary organisation whose primary activity is training. Members are free to determine their own level of participation in Reserve activities and may resign from the Reserve at any time. Their service is provided entirely on a voluntary basis with no compulsion to attend.

Members of the Reserve undergo both paid and unpaid training. A gratuity is paid to members of the Reserve Defence Force as a measure of reimbursement on account of losses, expenses and disabilities incurred by them consequent on their obligations as members of the Reserve Defence Force.

As part of the modernisation of the Reserve Defence Force, a new scheme for the payment of gratuities was introduced from 1 January 2008 following consultation and agreement with the relevant stakeholders including the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association.

The new scheme provides for phased increases to the gratuity subject to the satisfactory completion by the Reservists of specified minimum periods of training and to have served for the period of the Reserve-training year, which, runs from the 1st November to the 31 of October. Service in the Reserve commences on completion of the recruitment process, including medical testing and security clearance.

The provision this year for Reserve Defence Force paid training, gratuities etc. is €4.7 million and it is anticipated that this level of funding will provide for approximately 31,000 paid training man-days. In light of the reduced paid training day provision for 2010, it is anticipated that there will be an increased emphasis on voluntary unpaid training and the allocation of paid training to individual reservists will take account of voluntary unpaid training undertaken.

The aim is to ensure that reservists who complete specified voluntary unpaid training will be afforded the opportunity to avail of a minimum of 7 days paid training. There will also be an allocation of training man-days to be used to deliver enhanced training to selected members of the Reserve, through full time courses of instruction in addition to their annual training.

The payment of the gratuity requires the completion of at least 7 days paid training which can be aggregated over the full training year. I am satisfied that the new scheme creates incentives to improve retention and attendance at training in the Reserve Defence Forces and this represents an effective productivity return from the revised gratuity rates and it is not my intention to reduce this requirement in the foreseeable future.