Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Defence the age profile of the Defence Forces at all ranks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25259/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Military Authorities that the average age of all personnel in the Permanent Defence Force is 36.8 years with 60.3% of all personnel aged under 40 years. The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Force Review Implementation Plan both identified the requirement to address the high age profile in the Defence Forces. The key element in military life is the need for personnel to maintain a level of fitness for combat readiness. This requirement must be balanced with the need to retain the expertise and experience, particularly at managerial level in the Defence Forces. The upper age limit for enlistment in the Army is under 25 years of age on the date of enlistment and for the Naval Service it is under 27 years of age on the date of enlistment. These limits are determined on the basis that the essential functions of the Permanent Defence Force requires that its members be composed of able bodied personnel of an age which is commensurate with the functional requirements of the organisation.

The following table outlines the average ages by rank in the Permanent Defence Force as at 19 September 2011.

Average ages by rank in the Permanent Defence Force as at 19 September 2011.