Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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565. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the fact that members of the Permanent Defence Force who are attending courses at third level institutions and who have commenced their study since September 2017 have not yet been supplied with the required text books; if such text books will be supplied to each person and not on a shared basis which has been proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52929/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the military authorities that Defence Forcespersonnel currently attend third level institutions under a number of different schemes, outlined below:

- Courses Specific to Defence Forces Requirements Scheme (TI 01/2014)

- Third Level Officer Education Scheme (TI 08/2013)

- Army Trainee Technician Scheme (TI 04/2002)

Each of these Schemes has an associated training instruction which details the procedures for those Defence Forces personnel participating, including procedures relating to textbooks. Defence Forces personnel that require textbooks for their specific courses can utilise Defence Forceslibrary services. I am informed that textbooks are paid for where necessary.

My Department is not aware of any specific issues relating to personnel attending third level institutions being able to access required text books for courses.