Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Defence if there is a cap on recruitment to the Permanent Defence Forces; if it is anticipated that recruitment will begin shortly; the criteria and standards that are used, in terms of vision, hearing and other capacities for applicants for admission; if there is a specific level of visual capacity required, particularly in respect of colour identification, for applicants to the Permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24277/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Within the available resources, the Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at a level of 10,000 all ranks, for which Government approval has been secured in the context of Budget 2010. This reflects the reductions in personnel recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes. The strength of the Permanent Defence Force as at 30 April 2010 was 9,856 comprising 8,036 Army, 797 Air Corps and 1,023 Naval Service personnel.

Targeted recruitment will be carried out in 2010 to maintain the operational capability of the Defence Forces. In this regard I have recently approved the recruitment of 40 Recruits for the Naval Service. In addition, as I have already stated, the Military Authorities will shortly advertise for some limited recruitment to the Army. It is a matter for the Military Authorities to select candidates based on specific criteria and in accordance with Defence Force Regulations for positions in the Permanent Defence Force.

The colour vision requirements for general service enlistment to the Permanent Defence Force are normal colour vision as measured by the Ishihara Method. In relation to vision capacity the requirements are for a military visual acuity grade of 1, 2, or 3 for applications for the Army and Air Corps. For the Naval Service it is Grade 1 for applications other than for the Administrative Branch. For the Naval Service Administrative Branch it is unaided vision not less than 6/36 in each eye and can be corrected to unaided vision of not less than 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other.

Grade 1 is unaided vision of not less than 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other. Grade 2 is not less than either 6/12 in each eye or 6/6 in the right eye and 6/36 in the left eye. Grade 3 is not less than 6/36 in each eye and can be corrected to Grade 1. Applicants must not have undergone any corrective surgery for refractive error.

In relation to hearing requirements applicants must achieve an Audiometric test result, where in each ear, the sum of hearing threshold levels at the low and at the high frequencies does not exceed the age-related hearing levels contained in the "Guidelines on Hearing Checks and Audiometry" issued by the Health and Safety Authority. Those under 25 years of age must be able to hear all measured tones up to and including 8 kHz at 20 dB in each ear and applicants aged 25 years and older must be able to hear all measured tones up to and including 8 kHz at 25 dB in each ear. Candidates must be free from acute or chronic ear disorders. An applicant must also meet specified physical and medical requirements as laid down by Defence Force Regulations for entry to the Permanent Defence Force. Details in relation to those requirements are available at www.military.ie.