Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1480. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the age at which a person is deemed ineligible for recruitment to the Defence Forces; his plans to further reduce the age for recruits; and the rationale behind this decision. [20172/17]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1481. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if exceptions are made when recruiting persons who are older than the maximum age requirement for enlistment into the Defence Forces. [20174/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1480 and 1481 together.

The 2015 White Paper on Defence and the earlier 3^rdReport of the Independent Monitoring Group (IMG), reiterated the objective of ensuring an appropriate age profile for the Permanent Defence Force. A key element in military life is the need for personnel to maintain a level of fitness for combat readiness. This requirement must be balanced with the need to retain experience and expertise, particularly at managerial level in the Defence Forces.

The upper age limit for enlistment in the Army, as a General Service Recruit, is under 25 years of age on the date of enlistment and for the Naval Service it is under 27 years of age on the date of enlistment.

The upper age limit governing the awarding of Cadetships in the Permanent Defence Force for the 2017 competitions, is under 28 years of age on 1 September 2017. Following a review this upper age limit will be reduced on a phased basis to “under 27 years of age” for the 2018 Cadetship competitions and to “under 26 years of age” for the 2019 Cadetship competitions.

As these age requirements, in accordance with Defence Force Regulations, are of general application, exceptions cannot be made in individual cases.

These limits have been determined on the basis that the essential functions of the Permanent Defence Force require that its members be composed of able-bodied personnel of an age which is commensurate with the functional requirements of the organisation. Other factors such as return on training investment were also considered.

I am satisfied that the upper age requirements for recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force, as outlined above, are appropriate and meet the requirements for a modern Defence Force which is actively involved in operations at home and on Peace Support Operations overseas.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1482. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there is a procedure whereby a person (details supplied) can rejoin the Naval Service despite now being over the age limit. [20186/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with Defence Forces Regulation A10, a General Service applicant for the Naval Service must be under 27 years of age on the closing date for receipt of applications. As the individual referred to by the Deputy is 28 years of age he is above the age limit to apply to join the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), irrespective of previous service. Age limits are determined on the basis that the essential functions of the PDF requires that its members be composed of able-bodied personnel of an age which is commensurate with the functional requirements of the organisation as a whole.

The Defence Forces have an ongoing objective of ensuring an appropriate age profile through continuous recruitment and congruent manpower planning, training and development and career management strategies. Given the health and fitness requirements for Privates and recruits to the Defence Forces, I do not believe that it would serve the Defence Forces or the individual recruits well to increase the current age limits.

However, I wish to advise the Deputy that the upper age limit for recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) under Defence Forces Regulation R5 is 35 years of age. Additionally, the age limit for former members of the PDF with at least one year’s full-time military service is 40 years of age. For former PDF members who had held the rank of Sergeant or Petty Officer or higher non-commissioned rank there is an age limit for 45 years of age on offering themselves for enlistment to the RDF. Therefore, it is open to the individual concerned to apply to the RDF if he so chooses.