Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of positions to be filled currently in the Defence Forces at all ranks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31722/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Control Framework (ECF) for the Defence Forces is based on a figure of 10,000 all ranks, 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 30 September 2011 currently waiting to be filled, as compared with the Employment Control Framework for the Permanent Defence Force, is outlined in the attached tabular statement. Currently, a new non-commissioned officer promotion scheme is being finalised with the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) under the Croke Park Agreement. Once finalised, promotion competitions for enlisted personnel will be carried out to fill key posts. Officials from the Department together with the Military Authorities are also `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. Any future promotions will of course be subject to a final decision on the estimates for Defence. In this regard the Government is currently undertaking a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and this will inform the resource envelope available for Defence over the coming years and the priorities within Defence.

Strength of the Permanent Defence Force, as at 30th September, 2011 as compared with ECF figures