Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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846. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number currently serving in the Permanent Defence Forces; and the full year cost of increasing the numbers from this current level to 9,500, 10,000, 10,500, 11,000 and 11,500. [11629/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As of 31 January, 2017 (the latest date for which figures are available), the serving strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 9,136 whole-time equivalent personnel. The pay allocation for the Permanent Defence Force in 2017 is €417 million and this amount will allow for the payment of the full establishment of 9,500 personnel. The estimated full year salary cost of a notional increase of the serving strength of the PDF from 9,500 personnel to 10,000 personnel is approximately €11.7 million, and per notional increase of 500 personnel thereafter.

The Government is committed to maintaining the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at or near the establishment figure of 9,500 personnel. A major new recruitment drive was recently announced targeting an intake of some 860 personnel, including general service recruits, apprentices and cadets.