Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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28. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which the strength of the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and reserves has fluctuated in the past ten years; if any changes in recruitment practice is envisaged to address any issues emerging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33782/16]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The following tabular statement outlines the extent to which the whole-time equivalent strength of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps has fluctuated over the last ten years.

As of the 30^thSeptember, 2016, the strength of the PDF (whole-time equivalent) was 9,044 personnel. 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. Personnel are posted on the basis of operational needs across the organisation both at home and abroad. 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.

All efforts are currently being directed at recruitment in order to return the Defence Forces to their approved establishment. Regular competitions are held for recruitment of enlisted personnel, cadets and other staff.

To reduce the number of occasions an applicant must present in a military installation during a General Service competition, the Defence Forces are now conducting fitness tests and competency based interviews on the same day.

The following tabular statement (Table 2) sets out the extent to which the effective strength of the Reserve has fluctuated over the last ten years.

In terms of the Reserve, the 2015 White Paper on Defence sets out a developmental path for the organisation. It also provides that the overarching establishment of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) is to be set at 4,169 personnel, consisting of 3,869 Army Reservists and for the expansion of the establishment of the four NSR Units from currently 200 personnel to 300.

A key challenge is to recruit and train sufficient personnel to meet the Reserve establishment provided in the White Paper. I am committed to accelerating induction into the Reserve, in tandem with expanded recruitment into the PDF.

Table 1 – PDF Strength Fluctuation

* Strength figures from 2013 on are Whole Time Equivalents

Table 2 – RDF Strength Fluctuation

* 2012 & 2013 – Due to the reorganisation of the Reserve Defence Force there is a significantly larger margin of error applicable to these figures.