Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if applicants for Defence Forces Cadetships are entitled to receive a reason from the Defence Forces or from his Department on the reason their applications are rejected; if he or his Department received complaints in relation to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43873/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for the Military Authorities to select candidates based on specific criteria and in accordance with the Defence Force Regulations for positions in the Defence Forces. In relation to Cadetships in the Defence Forces, applications may be rejected for the following reasons:

- A candidate may be outside of the established age parameters.

- A candidate may not meet the established educational criteria.

- A candidate may not meet the residency conditions, as laid down by the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

- A candidate may be unsuccessful at the physical fitness assessment stage.

- A candidate may not score sufficiently high at the psychometric testing stage in order to progress to the next stage.

- A candidate may not score sufficiently high at the group assessment stage in order to progress to the interview stage.

- A candidate may not score sufficiently high at the final interview stage.

- A candidate may be found unsuitable on medical grounds.

If a candidate fails to meet any of the eligibility criteria, or are unsuccessful at a particular stage of the competition, they are advised of the reasons why their application has been unsuccessful.

Candidates who progress to the final stages of the Cadet Competition are subject to the Garda Síochána vetting procedure.

The Military Authorities have made provision for applicants for the Defence Forces Cadet Competition to receive feedback. On completion of a Cadet Competition, candidates can contact to request information on their application.

In addition, a candidate may make an application under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 – 2003. At present, the Defence Forces are dealing with one Freedom of Information request in respect of one unsuccessful applicant for a Cadetship. Other than this single request, the Defence Forces have not received any complaints in relation to the process.