Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of positions in respect of promotion currently remaining to be filled throughout the Defence Forces at all levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17653/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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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 Force 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 obtained from the Minister for Finance, in June 2009. 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.

The number of positions by rank in the Permanent Defence Force as of 31 May 2011 currently waiting to be filled, as compared with the Employment Control Framework for the Permanent Defence Force, are outlined in the following tabular statement. 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 and subject to the resources available within the Defence budget.

Strength of the Permanent Defence Force, as at 31st May, 2011 as compared with ECF figures