Written answers
Wednesday, 17 May 2017
Department of Defence
Defence Forces Personnel Data
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of promotional positions waiting to be filled throughout the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23436/17]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500, comprising of 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel, as stated in the 2015 White Paper on Defence. I am advised by the Military Authorities that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, as at 31 March 2017 was 9,072 personnel, comprising7,297 Army, 708 Air Corps and 1,067 Naval Service, whole time equivalent.
The following table outlines the establishment, strength and vacancies of the Permanent Defence Force, by Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as at 31 March 2017, based on the agreed stabilised strength for the Permanent Defence Force of 9,500.
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.
In this regard, promotions are ongoing within the Officer ranks in order to fill rank vacancies. A new NCO promotion competition, to fill vacancies to the ranks of Sergeants and above, has been launched. Promotions from the Order of Merit Lists from this competition will commence in Q3 2017.
It is my intention that promotions will continue to be carried out within the resource envelope allocated to Defence.
| - | Lt Gen | Maj Gen | Brig Gen | Col | Lt Col | Comdt | Capt | Lt | SM | BQMS | CS | CQMS | Sgt | Cpl | Pte/ Cadet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Rank Establishment | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 4 | 110 | 257 | 306 | 167 | 29 | 32 | 115 | 169 | 973 | 1,438 | 3,880 |
| Army Strength | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 4 | 101 | 250 | 255 | 159 | 26 | 30 | 91 | 152 | 834 | 1,344 | 4,012* |
| Vacancies by Rank | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 51 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 17 | 139 | 94 | -132 |
| Air Corps Rank Establishment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 36 | 65 | 48 | 8 | 4 | 56 | 14 | 131 | 183 | 324 |
| Air Corps Strength | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 33 | 47 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 53 | 11 | 108 | 151 | 257 * |
| Vacancies by Rank | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 32 | 67 |
| Naval Service Rank Establishment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 45 | 81 | 41 | 6 | 7 | 75 | 15 | 226 | 180 | 402 |
| Naval Service Strength | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 51 | 49 | 34 | 6 | 7 | 66 | 13 | 169 | 130 | 526 * |
| Vacancies by Rank | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 57 | 50 | -124 |
| Total Vacancies by Rank | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 101 | 41 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 22 | 219 | 176 | -189 |
There are an additional 79 personnel on career breaks/secondment, who are not included in the strengths in the above table.
Note: Equivalent Naval Service Ranks - Brigadier General/Commodore; Colonel/Captain; Lieutenant Colonel/Commander; Commandant/Lieutenant Commander; Captain/Lieutenant(NS); Lieutenant/Sub Lieutenant; Sergeant Mayor/Warrant Officer; Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant/Senior Chief Petty Officer; Company Quartermaster Sergeant/Senior Petty Officer; Company Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer; Sergeant/Petty Officer; Corporal/Leading Seaman; Private/Able Seaman.
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