Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which the number of women in the Army, Navy and Air Corps has increased on an annual basis throughout the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20814/14]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. While progress has been made by the Military Authorities in addressing gaps between male and female participation in the Defence Forces, it is recognised that more work needs to be done to meet the gender target for recruitment of females of 20% which was set by the Military Authorities in 2007. In this context, as part of the recently announced recruitment campaign for enlisted personnel and the Reserve, specific efforts are being made to increase the number of female applicants as part of a wider campaign aimed at improving gender and ethnic representation and diversity in the Defence Forces. In the case of female participation, these efforts include school visits, media engagement including national and local radio, targeting sports clubs and use of social media.

As at 31 March 2014, the latest date for which figures are available there were 555 women out of a total strength of 9,133 serving in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF). This represents 6% of the overall strength of the Defence Forces. The following table gives the number of women serving in each branch of the Permanent Defence Force for the last 8 years i.e. from 2006 to 2013. The numbers for a full 10 year period are not readily available.

Number of women serving in each Branch of the Permanent Defence Force

I wish to advise the Deputy that the strength figures abovefor the period 2006 - 2012 include personnel who were on secondment to, and being paid by other organisations, or on career breaks. The 31 December 2013 figures have been calculated on the basis of actual numbers serving on that date, excluding those members who are on secondment to, and being paid by other organisations, or on career breaks.