Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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313. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if persons with asthma are barred from joining or serving in the Army; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30366/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Service in the Defence Forces is a demanding career which places unique physical and psychological demands on individuals, exposing them to a unique range of challenging environments. In these circumstances it is vital that the health profile of personnel be such as to ensure that operational capability and effectiveness are not compromised. There are a number of physical and medical standards laid down in the Defence Force Regulations and associated Administrative Instructions. These requirements are based on the professional advice of the Medical Branch and having regard to the nature of the job, the duties of military service and the training exercises undertaken by members of the Defence Forces.

The Director of the Medical Branch has advised that applicants who have chronic medical conditions are at a higher risk of suffering from symptoms related to those conditions due to the exigencies of military service. Entry criteria for enlistment to the Permanent Defence Force are, therefore, based on the selection of personnel who are not likely to require medical support and whose pre-existing medical status could not reasonably be foreseen to be subject to aggravation by service with the Permanent Defence Force.

Each individual’s medical condition is examined taking into account a detailed/documented history of the condition and its extent, including remissions, exacerbations, and any other associated conditions. In the specific context of a chronic medical condition such as asthma the sufferer is placed at a higher health risk. Accordingly, an applicant who is suffering from Asthma would be found to be below Defence Forces Medical Standards and would therefore be ineligible to enlist in the Defence Forces as a Recruit or Cadet.

If a serving member developed a sthma after induction to the Defence Forces, he/she would not be found to be below Defence Forces Medical Standards, unless very severe, but would be given a Medical Classification Code reflective of a chronic but intermittent medical condition.