Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if he plans to restore the gratuity payment to members of the Defence Forces. [6118/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The recent Value for Money Report on the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) explored the options available to best support the Reserve Defence Force into the future. The central recommendation from the Value for Money Steering Committee was for the retention of the RDF with approximately 4,000 personnel spread countrywide to be based in barracks and in 16 other locations. It recommended the abolition of the RDF gratuity and re-assignment of the budgetary provision into paid training for members of the Reserve. is was in order to boost funding available for paid training sufficient to sustain a Reserve Defence Force of approximately 4,000 personnel. I have accepted the recommendation of the Value for Money Report on the RDF to reallocate funding into paid training so as to maintain the strength of the Reserve at approximately 4,000. It is not my intention that the gratuity would be restored.