Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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53. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the number of personnel exiting the Defence Forces excluding mandatory retirements since 2015; if he is satisfied that the Defence Forces can still attract recruits at the number required; the steps he is taking to ensure that a career within the Defence Forces offers financial stability and job security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44039/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 53 together.

Since January 2016, 446 enlisted personnel have been discharged by purchase (as of 31 August 2017). Almost half of this figure, that is 205, were Recruits. Discharge by Purchase is governed by Defence Forces Regulation A10, which sets out the payment scale in relation to such discharges.

When assessing issues such as turnover of personnel, cognisance must be made of the fact that personnel leave for a variety of reasons and a significant number of recruits depart from the Defence Forces during the training phase. This is not unique to the Irish Defence Forces and is to be expected as the recruitment phase offers the individual an opportunity to assess fully the realities of military life. Turnover of personnel , in and of itself, is not a bad thing, as long as is it carefully managed and balanced with ongoing recruitment.

The White Paper on Defence recognises that continuous recruitment is the lifeblood of the Defence Forces; providing young, motivated and enthusiastic personnel to replenish military formations for operational deployments. To that end, the Defence Forces are working hard to maximise the recruit intake. There is significant ongoing recruitment at both enlisted and officer level and it is anticipated that 800 new personnel will have been inducted into the Permanent Defence Force during 2017. This includes general service recruits, apprentices, cadets and direct entry officers. As the panel from the general service recruitment campaign held earlier this year has now been exhausted, a further recruitment campaign is under way with a closing date of the 27th October 2017.

A range of recruitment methods are being employed including direct entry competitions for specialist positions and the scope to further expand direct entry is being considered.

The fact that further consideration by the Public Service Pay Commission of recruitment and retention issues is provided for under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, is a welcome development. I was particularly pleased with the deal that was negotiated between the Department of Defence, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and PDFORRA, which saw significant adjustments to the pay scales for post 2013 general service recruits and privates. These pay increases have recently been applied. The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 also provides for further pay increases ranging from 5.75% to 7.25% depending on the individual’s current wage threshold.

I remain committed to maximising recruitment to the Defence Forces and ensuring that, where possible, the terms and conditions of service are as favourable as they can be within the current budgetary parameters.