Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will rotate all Reserve Defence Force cadre on a two to three or three to four year attachment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23353/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The White Paper on Defence (February 2000) sets out the need for change in the Reserve Defence Force and highlights the interface between the PDF and the RDF as being critical to the success of the reserve element of the State's defence capabilities and involving the Directorate of the Reserve Forces and the PDF Cadre.

Permanent Defence Force Cadre staff assigned to Reserve Defence Force (RDF) units provide command, training supervision, administrative and logistic support.

Posting or transferring of personnel into Cadre staff appointments occurs where vacancies exist and is normally done on a voluntary basis or by promotion following a promotion competition. In cases of postings or transfers to Army Reserve units, the General Officer Commanding the Brigade is the authorised officer for the movement. The Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service is the authority for posting to Naval Service Reserve units. The Deputy Chief of Staff Support approves and authorises NCO promotions.

The report of the Defence Forces Review Implementation Board (known as the Swords Report) recommended that RDF training centres be located so as to allow use of PDF training facilities. The Board also recommended that Cadre staff should normally be rotated after a period of three years and the postings should be staggered so as to ensure continuity. The main reason for this recommendation was to ensure that instructors with the best modern training practices are available to the RDF.

Since the completion of the Swords Report a new training strategy and training regime have been put in place to ensure that instructors skilled in modern training methodologies are available to RDF units.

There is now a requirement to examine the progress that has been made and to chart the future direction of the Reserve. Work has commenced on a Value for Money Review of the Reserve and the findings of this Review will inform the future plans for the organisation.