Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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23. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will confirm whether Defence Forces personnel face a downgrade and possible dismissal if they are injured while taking part in leisure activities [29104/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The maintenance of a cadre of personnel capable of meeting the physical demands of a career in the Defence Forces is a key human resources requirement. The medical classification of all personnel is kept under review and where a person is confirmed as being unfit for service with the Defence Forces, action is initiated towards retirement, relinquishment of commission or discharge, as the case may be. The circumstances in which an injury occurs, be it while taking part in leisure activities or otherwise, are not relevant to and play no part in the medical classification assigned. In the context of the roles assigned by Government to the Defence Forces, military medical services and facilities exist to maintain the health of Defence Forces members, and to support them in their operational and overseas activities. In this regard the focus of the military medical services is on primary care, occupational medicine, acute trauma management, preventative medical programmes and field medical training.