Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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229. To ask the Minister for Defence the reason it is considered appropriate to impose an 18 to 28 years of age limit when advertising for musicians in the public press for his Department; and if this imposition can be lifted. [17828/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A competition for the enlistment of instrumentalists in the Defence Forces School of Music is currently underway. The closing date for receipt of applications was 22 April 2015.

The 2000 White Paper on Defence and the earlier Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan both identified the requirement to address the age profile in the Defence Forces.

A key element in military life is the need for personnel to maintain a level of fitness for combat readiness. This requirement must be balanced with the need to retain experience and expertise, particularly at managerial level in the Defence Forces.

The age requirement applicable to this competition is that candidates must be not less than 18 years of age and must be under 28 years of age on the closing for receipt of applications. These limits are determined on the basis that the essential functions of the Permanent Defence Force requires that its members be composed of able-bodied personnel of an age which is commensurate with the functional requirements of the organisation as a whole. The Military Authorities have advised that these upper age limits have proven suitable for the requirements for a modern Defence Force which is actively involved in operations at home and on Peace Support Operations overseas. Agreement was also reached with the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) on this matter.

I am satisfied that the existing upper age requirements for recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force are appropriate.