Written answers
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Department of Defence
Defence Forces Strength
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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91. To ask the Minister for Defence the most up-to-date figures for the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces, with regard to all three services and all ranks; the gender breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20918/15]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The tables below set out the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of 31 March, 2015, the latest date for which figures are available, across all three services and ranks, broken down by gender. The figures provided are for whole time equivalent posts.
Army
| Rank | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant General | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Major General | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Brigadier General | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Colonel | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 100 | 3 | 103 |
| Commandant | 225 | 24 | 249 |
| Captain | 228 | 41 | 269 |
| Lieutenant | 191 | 37 | 228 |
| Sergeant Major | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| Company Sergeant | 105 | 1 | 106 |
| Company Quartermaster Sergeant | 160 | 1 | 161 |
| Sergeant | 845 | 56 | 901 |
| Corporal | 1,252 | 116 | 1,368 |
| Private | 3,685 | 178 | 3,863 |
| Cadets | 16 | 4 | 20 |
| Total | 6,910 | 461 | 7,371 |
Air Corps
| Rank | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigadier General | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Colonel | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Commandant | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| Captain | 54 | 6 | 60 |
| Lieutenant | 20 | 1 | 21 |
| Sergeant Major | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Company Sergeant | 53 | 0 | 53 |
| Company Quartermaster Sergeant | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Sergeant | 121 | 7 | 128 |
| Corporal | 140 | 11 | 151 |
| Private | 240 | 9 | 249 |
| Cadets | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| Total | 721 | 35 | 756 |
Naval Service
| Rank | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigadier General | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Colonel | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Commandant | 38 | 5 | 43 |
| Captain | 44 | 18 | 62 |
| Lieutenant | 27 | 4 | 31 |
| Sergeant Major | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Company Sergeant | 74 | 0 | 74 |
| Company Quartermaster Sergeant | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Sergeant | 200 | 6 | 206 |
| Corporal | 135 | 8 | 143 |
| Private | 420 | 20 | 440 |
| Cadets | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| Total | 985 | 62 | 1,047 |
The total serving strength across all three services as of 31 March 2015 was 9,174. The overall establishment figure set for the Defence Forces is 9,500 and it is the Government’s intention that ongoing recruitment campaigns will strive to maintain the serving strength at or close to this figure.
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