Written answers
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Department of Defence
Defence Forces Strength
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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169. To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which promotional opportunities in the Army, Navy and Air Corps remain available in the course of the current year; the number, if any, of such positions to be filled or remaining unfilled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20815/14]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, at 31 March 2014, the latest date for which figures are available was 9,133, comprising 7,354 Army, 767 Air Corps and 1,012 Naval Service personnel. The following table outlines the establishment, strength and vacancies of the Permanent Defence Force, by Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as at 31 March 2014, based on the agreed stabilised strength for the Permanent Defence Force of 9,500.
Promotions are on-going within the Officer and the Non-Commissioned Officer ranks and will continue in 2014. It is my intention that promotions will be carried out within the resource envelope allocated to Defence.
PDF Strength by Rank as at 31 March 2014 versus PDF Rank Establishment of 9,500
Lt Gen | Maj Gen | Brig Gen | Col | Lt Col | Comdt | Capt | Lt | SM | BQMS | CS | CQMS | Sgt | Cpl | Pte/Cadet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Rank Establishment | 1 | 2* | 6 | 37 | 110 | 255 | 306 | 167 | 29 | 33 | 114 | 170 | 973 | 1,437 | 3,880 |
| Army Strength | 1 | 0* | 6 | 35 | 105 | 250 | 254 | 278 | 29 | 33 | 109 | 168 | 891 | 1,330 | 3,863** |
| Vacancies by Rank | 0 | 2* | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 52 | -111 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 82 | 107 | 17 |
| Air Corps Rank Establishment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 36 | 65 | 48 | 8 | 4 | 56 | 14 | 131 | 183 | 324 |
| Air Corps Strength | 0 | 1* | 1 | 2 | 13 | 32 | 50 | 35 | 8 | 4 | 49 | 14 | 126 | 157 | 276** |
| Vacancies by Rank | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 26 | 48 |
| Naval Service Rank Establishment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 45 | 81 | 41 | 6 | 7 | 75 | 15 | 226 | 180 | 402 |
| Naval Service Strength | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 45 | 52 | 45 | 6 | 7 | 68 | 15 | 174 | 166 | 419** |
| Vacancies by Rank | 0 | -1* | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 52 | 14 | -17 |
| Total Vacancies by Rank | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2*** | 7 | 9 | 96 | -102 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 139 | 147 | 48 |
** Includes 20 Army Cadets, 14 Air Corps Cadets and 15 Naval Service Cadets
***Within the Establishment figures there is provision for 10 Colonel Appointments overseas. However 9 of these are currently filled with no requirement to fill the remaining appointment at present
There are an additional 82 personnel on career breaks/secondment, who are not included in the strengths in the above table.
Note:
Equivalent Naval Service RanksBrigadier General/Commodore
Colonel/Captain
Lieutenant Colonel/Commander
Commandant/Lieutenant Commander
Captain/Lieutenant(NS)
Lieutenant/Sub Lieutenant Sergeant Mayor/Warrant Officer
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant/Senior Chief Petty Officer
Company Quartermaster Sergeant/Senior Petty Officer
Company Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer
Sergeant/Petty Officer
Corporal/Leading Seaman
Private/Able Seaman
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