Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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627. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason the case made by an organisation (details supplied) to have a suitably qualified member of the Naval Service Reserve commissioned to the rank of ensign has not been resolved in view of the fact that the matter was initially raised in June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43567/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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628. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason the case made by an organisation (details supplied) to have a suitably qualified member of the Naval Service Reserve commissioned to the rank of ensign has not been resolved in view of the fact that this matter was initially raised in May 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43568/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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629. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason the military authorities refused to commission a person in 2014 to the rank of ensign for which they were suitably qualified (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43569/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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630. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason the military authorities are now rejecting the findings of a medical officer by re-classifying a Naval Service Reserve as medically unfit to be commissioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43570/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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631. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason a member of the Naval Service Reserve that is suitably qualified for commissioning to the rank of ensign cannot be reimbursed the cost of their Naval Service officer's dress uniform (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43571/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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632. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will meet with members of an organisation (details supplied) at least once a year as agreed on 12 July 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43572/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 627 to 632, inclusive, together.

I am informed by the military authorities that the individual referred to by the Deputy does not meet the medical standard required for military service at the rank of commissioned officer in the Naval Service Reserve, due to a medical condition. The Naval Service have re-iterated that the individual’s medical condition is incompatible with service at sea, especially in the military environment.

I am informed that a request for a medical derogation was made in 2015. The Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) considered the case and received the opinions of both the Director of Legal Services and Director of the Medical Branch. The Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) decided that a medical derogation could not be granted.

With regard to the reimbursement of a Naval Service Commissioned Officer’s Dress Uniform, I have sought additional information and I will revert to the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Finally, I am meeting members of RDFRA this Thursday (19 October 2017) and I look forward to having a positive discussion with them on matters of importance to their members.