Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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512. To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which the strength of the Defence Forces has fluctuated in the past three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22392/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The strength figures for year end to 31 December 2104 are set out below. I wish to advise the Deputy that the strength figure for 2012 includes personnel who were on secondment to, and being paid by other organisations, or on career breaks. Since September 2013, all strength figures have been calculated on the basis of actual numbers serving, excluding those members on secondment or career breaks.

The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at or close to 9,500 personnel.

Targeted General Service recruitment will continue this year from the recruitment panels formed from the 2014 competition. It is planned that these panels will remain in place until they are exhausted 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 assigned by Government both at home and overseas.