Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1217. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current plans for recruitment to the Army; the number expected to be recruited in 2016 and in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10293/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, 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.

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.