David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 926: To ask the Minister for Defence the details of commissioned officer promotions in the Defence Forces in 2010; the details of non-commissioned officer promotions and details of numbers promoted to non-commissioned officer rank in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1802/11]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Resulting from the Government Decision regarding the reduction of public service numbers and the reduced budgetary provision available for 2009, recruitment, promotions and acting-up appointments in the Permanent Defence Forces were suspended. However, in order to maintain the ongoing operational capability of the Defence Forces, a limited number of exceptions to the application of the measures to the Permanent Defence Force were sought in a submission to the Minister for Finance, in June 2009. As announced on the 24 November 2009 the Minister for Finance approved an allocation of 50 promotions for the Permanent Defence Force. These promotions were approved to address priority operational and command requirements of the Permanent Defence Force. Military Management reviewed existing vacancies in all ranks across the organisation as a whole, so as to prioritise those to be filled from the approved promotions. Following on from this review, a total of 13 Commissioned Officers and 35 Non-Commissioned Officer were promoted during 2010. The residual 2 approved promotions were retained for use to fill priority posts as the need arose.

Official confirmation and details relating to the Employment Control Framework (ECF) were received on 18 October 2010 from the Department of Finance. The ECF is based on a figure of 10,000 all ranks Permanent Defence Force personnel, appropriately configured across the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps to enable them meet the roles assigned by Government.

Officials from the Department together with the Military Authorities are in the process of reviewing the structures and posts required to meet the operational requirements of the Permanent Defence Force in accordance with the upper limits in ranks provided for in the ECF.

As the review process proceeds prioritised posts are being filled. In this regard a total of 104 promotions within the officer rank were completed in December 2010. Further officer promotions, approximately 45, will be made as soon as the relevant administrative procedures including the holding of promotion competitions, which are currently being organised, have taken place. The officer promotions already approved reflect both an operational and organisational requirement and are consistent with the action plan being developed under the National Pay Agreement. Further promotions for enlisted personnel in respect of prioritised posts are currently under consideration.