Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 469: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the delays in clearing applicants for the Reserve Defence Force; the reason for such a delay; and when will new applicants for the reserve be allowed join the force. [34329/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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All applicants wishing to join the Army Reserve or Naval Service Reserve must complete a Garda Vetting application form and undergo the Garda vetting process. Once completed, vetting application forms are checked at local level and then forwarded to Brigade or Naval Service Intelligence Sections for submission to the Garda Vetting Office. It takes up to 6 months for completion of the vetting process. In addition, delays in the submission of forms can arise where applicants have not completed the forms correctly. The number of personnel that can be recruited to the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve is dependent on the funding available for paid training. The 2011 provision allowed for the recruitment of approximately 200 personnel. The number of personnel to be recruited in the coming year will be dependent on Budget 2012, which has not been determined as yet. Accordingly there have been no decisions regarding recruitment in 2012.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 470: To ask the Minister for Defence when recruitment for the Reserve Defence Force will recommence; the numbers currently in the reserve; and the limit on its numbers. [34330/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The tables below outline the establishment, which sets the limit on numbers who can serve in the Reserve Defence Force, and strength of each rank of the Reserve Defence Force broken down across the Army Reserve, the Reserve Defence Force Training Authority and the Naval Service Reserve as at 30 September 2011, the latest date for which figures are available. The number of personnel that can be recruited to the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve is dependent on the funding available for paid training. The 2011 budget provided for approximately 30,000 paid training mandays. These mandays provide for annual paid training for existing members of the Reserve, for targeted developmental training, such as career courses and skills courses, and for certain training for new recruits.

The 2011 provision allowed for the recruitment of approximately 200 personnel. The number of personnel to be recruited in the coming year will be dependent on Budget 2012, which has not been determined as yet. Accordingly there have been no decisions regarding recruitment in 2012. Army Reserve

Naval Reserve

Non-Integrated RDF Training Authority (RDFTA):

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Defence the funding for each of the past five years for the Reserve Defence Forces. [34331/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Subhead D of the Defence Vote is entirely devoted to the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) and includes the provision for RDF training, gratuities, allowances and grants paid into unit funds. The annual provision and outturn for Subhead D, as per the Revised Estimates, for the years 2006 to 2010 was as follows:

The Subhead D Provision for 2011 is €4,386,000.