Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Defence if he has tasked anyone within his Department to examine the policy on reserve Defence Forces in Nordic states who contribute skilled soldiers on their peacekeeping missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13156/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am aware that other countries, including Nordic countries, deploy members of their Reserve Forces on overseas peace support operations. As part of the Value for Money (VFM) Review of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF), which was published last November, the approach to Reserve Forces in certain other countries was considered. For comparative purposes, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia were chosen as, like this State, they do not have conscription and they have all undertaken reviews and/or reform of their Reserve Forces over recent years.

This comparative exercise identified many common themes including a high turnover of Reservists and difficulties in training Reservists to the required standard. It also identified that the countries examined had deployed Reservists on overseas missions. Having regard to the experiences of these countries, the Review noted that increased operational demand was a key factor driving the deployment of Reservists on such missions over recent years.

In examining possible future roles for the RDF, the VFM Review noted that the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) has the capacity to continue to fulfil all on-going demands for overseas peace support operations. The Review concluded that as the PDF can meet all requirements for overseas missions for this State, there is no operational requirement to deploy members of the RDF overseas.

I accepted the findings and recommendations of the VFM Review. Accordingly, there are no plans to send members of the Reserve overseas and I have not directed any further studies with regard to overseas service by members of the Reserve.