Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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388. To ask the Minister for Defence when there will be a new recruitment competition for the Defence Forces, particularly the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1654/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, as at 30 November 2014, the latest date for which details are available, was 9,305 personnel, comprising 7,480 Army, 764 Air Corps and 1,061 Naval Service.

A new recruitment campaign for Enlisted Personnel in the Permanent Defence Force was launched in March 2014. The Military Authorities have advised that, to date, from this recruitment campaign a total of 443 Recruits have been inducted to the Permanent Defence Force, of which 360 Recruits have completed or continue in training.

The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. As there is significant turnover of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force, targeted recruitment will continue in 2015from the recruitment panels formed from the current General Service recruitment competition, so as to maintain the agreed strength levels.

It is too early to say if there will be a requirement for a new General Service Recruitment campaign for the Army and Naval Service in 2015.

With the support of the Chief of Staff and within the resources available, I intend to retain the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake the tasks laid down by Government both at home and overseas.