Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Defence when he will commence the application process for recruitment to the Irish Army in 2017; the entrance criteria he will set; the educational criteria he will set for applicants from the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8335/16]

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 as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. 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, the establishment of the Permanent Defence Force and available resources. As there is significant turnover of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force targeted recruitment takes place so as to maintain personnel numbers at or near the agreed strength levels as set out above in accordance with available training capacity. This approach is underlined by the recently announced General Service recruitment campaign, which was launched on 13 April 2016 with a closing date of 22 May 2016, and envisages an intake of 600 general services recruits in 2016 and a further 850 in 2017. This recruitment will be phased over the 2016 and 2017 period in a manner designed to restore the established strength and plans are being put in place to this end. Most of the new recruits this year will be drawn from the existing General Service panel. A new panel will be established from the current competition. Recruitment from this new panel is expected to commence towards the end of 2016 and will continue through 2017 and into 2018. It is too early at this stage to predict whether and when a 2017 competition may be required, as it will depend on the numbers who are successful in the current competition and are placed on the panel and the level of turnover in the Defence Forces.

The criteria that apply to all applicants for the 2016 General Service Recruitment Competitions require that they must undergo psychometric tests, a fitness test, a competency based interview, a medical examination and undergo Security Clearance. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and under 25 years of age on the closing date of applications for the Army, and must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age on the closing date of applications for the Naval Service. No formal education qualifications are required to join the Defence Forces as a recruit. However, applicants must satisfy the Interview Board and the Recruiting Officer that they possess a sufficient standard of education for service in the Permanent Defence Force. I am advised that educational standards for those who do not sit exams in the State are governed by the National University of Ireland set equivalent.

With the support of the Chief of Staff and within the resources available, it is intended 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.