John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Defence when the current Army recruitment panel based in County Cork will be exhausted or will the current panel continue into the future. [33480/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware of the restrictions on recruitment to the public service generally arising from the necessity to restore balance to the public finances. In the context of this challenge, the Government intends to maintain the operational efficiency of the Defence Forces to the greatest extent possible. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at the 30 September, 2011, the latest date for which details are available, was 9,458 which is the lowest number since the early 1970s. This is against the approved Employment Control Framework for the Permanent Defence Force of 10,000 as recommended in the McCarthy Report (Bord Snip).

Under the National Recovery Plan the strength of the Permanent Defence Force is scheduled to fall to approximately 9,600 by 2014. Targeted recruitment was carried out in 2010 and is continuing in 2011 because the strength of the Permanent Defence Force is below the reduction prescribed by 2014.

The recruitment of 40 recruits to the Southern Brigade is currently underway. Following completion of the selection process of these recruits there will be 503 candidates remaining on the Southern Brigade panel. Given the particular circumstances of the Defence Forces it is my intention that targeted recruitment will continue within the resource envelope allocated to Defence for 2012. At this time no decision has been made as to whether this panel will continue into the future.

I have on a number of occasions placed on the record in Dáil Éireann my view that personnel in the Defence Forces should be maintained at 9,500 to ensure that the Defence Forces have the capabilities to meet both their international (UN/EU) and domestic obligations.