Written answers

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Department of Defence

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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218. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of personnel at all ranks, male and female, who have retired from the Defence Forces in each of the past four years and to date in 2017; the extent to which this has affected the overall strength of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15708/17]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The manpower requirements of the Permanent Defence Force are 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 a significant turnover of personnel in the Defence Forces, targeted recruitment takes places on a regular basis so as to maintain personnel numbers at or near the agreed strength levels. Cadetship and General Service recruitment competitions have recently been launched and I am advised by the military authorities that the planned target is to induct 850 - 900 new entrants to the Defence Forces across all services and competition streams in 2017.

As of 28 February 2017 the whole time equivalent strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 9,070. The following table shows the number of retirements of all male and female personnel from the start of 2013 up until the end of February 2017. The total number of Defence Forces personnel who retired in the period requested was 2,225. In terms of overall strengths the Government is committed to maintaing the stabilised strength of the PDF 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.

2013
2014
2015
2016
2017 *
TOTAL
ARMY
Officers (Male)
37
50
48
59
8
202

Officers (Female)
4
5
9
3
0
21

Other Ranks (Male)
289
299
360
437
66
1451
Other Ranks (Female)
19
17
15
14
3
68

349
371
432
513
77
1742
AIR CORPS
Officers (Male)
10
13
8
12
0
43

Officers (Female)
0
0
1
1
0
2

Other Ranks (Male)
21
30
44
35
8
138

Other Ranks (Female)
0
0
4
1
0
5

31
43
57
49
8
188

NAVAL SERVICE
Officers (Male)
7
14
7
4
0
32

Officers (Female)
1
0
2
1
0
4

Other Ranks (Male)
54
40
56
85
14
249

Other Ranks (Female)
3
1
2
3
1
10

65
55
67
93
15
295

445
469
556
655
100
2225

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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219. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the total number of women in each of the Defence Forces, at all ranks, in each of the past five years and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15709/17]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The following table sets out the number of ‘Whole-time equivalent’ female personnel in each of the three elements of the Permanent Defence Force as of year end for the period 2012 – 2016 and as regards this year, until 28 February 2017, the latest date for which figures are available.

​2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
​Army
485
470
464
458
476
477
​Air Corps
30
35
35
33
33
33
​Naval Service
68
64
64
61
59
60

The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. The Defence Forces have no restrictions with regard to the assignment of men or women to the full range of operational and administrative duties, and all promotions and career courses are open to both sexes on merit.

One impediment in achieving greater numbers of women serving in the Defence Forces is the lack of women recruitment applicants relative to men which may be as a result of societal perception and attitudes to female soldiers and officers.

In recent times there have been a number of initiatives to encourage greater female participation, such as:

- The introduction of best practices in recruitment, such as the adjustment of physical standards for female applicants,

- Special consideration is paid to women as a target group for recruitment,

- A balanced composition between men and women on recruitment and selection boards,

- All promotions and career courses are open to both sexes on merit,

- A Gender Advisor has been appointed to promote gender equality policies and training within the Defence Forces.

Over the lifetime of the White Paper 2015 it is planned to develop further initiatives to encourage more women to apply for the Defence Forces and to increase female participation at all ranks.

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