Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide in tabular form the number of Reserve Defence Forces by brigade recorded on the PMS system as having attended unpaid training in 2013, showing separately those who completed less than 20 hours, 21 to 30 hours, more than 30 hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4451/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It was not possible to provide the detailed information sought by the Deputy in the time available. My Department is currently seeking to compile the relevant data and I will provide the information directly to the Deputy once it comes to hand.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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159. To ask the Minister for Defence in view of the current re-organisation of the Defence Forces into a single force concept and the fact that it requires reserve members to give more of their time to the service of the State, if he will bring forward employment protection legislation to ensure that employers must give a certain amount of days a year to employees engaging in the reserve service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4466/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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A Value for Money (VFM) Review of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) was published in November 2012. It set out a number of recommendations aimed at improving the capacity of the RDF and ensuring its continued viability. These recommendations included the consolidation of a large number of under-strength Units into a smaller number of full strength Units. A major re-organisation of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) was implemented in 2013 and the RDF is now organised alongside the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) within a more efficient single force structure.

Separately, the VFM Review highlighted an inconsistency where a member of the Reserve could be classed as effective; yet fail to meet minimum training targets that had been set out in plans for the Reserve. The retention of personnel who do not meet minimum training requirements has a detrimental effect on the capacity and morale of the Reserve. In this context, the VFM Review recommended a review of the criteria for categorising Reservists as effective.

The military authorities have developed proposals in this regard and this is one of a range of measures aimed at reforming the RDF. I have received no recommendations relating to the introduction of employment protection legislation and I can see no basis for such a recommendation. The intention is that actual training requirements will be accurately reflected in regulations governing retention on the effective strength of the Reserve. In practice this will mean a requirement that Reservists meet training requirements that have been in place for many years rather than an increase in the level of training for the AR and NSR.