Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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772. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the most up to date figures for the strength of the Permanent Defence Force with regard to all three services and all ranks; the gender breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54050/17]

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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774. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of additional recruits the Permanent Defence Force has recruited in 2017 with regard to all three services; the gender breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54052/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 772 and 774 together.

As of the 31^stOctober, 2017 (the latest date for which figures are available), the whole time equivalent strength of the Defence Forces was as follows:

To return to, and maintain, the agreed strength levels, significant targeted recruitment has taken place in 2017.

A total of 702 personnel have been inducted to date in 2017 and it is planned to induct further recruits before the year end. The 702 personnel inducted encompass 567 General Service Recruits across the Army and Naval Service, along with 100 Cadets, 22Air Corps Apprentices and 13 Direct Entry Officers (11 Naval Service and 2 Military Medicine).Females represent 9.8% of those inducted in 2017. The gender breakdown of 2017 recruits across the Defence Forces is currently being compiled by the military authorities, and I will revert to the Deputy with this information when it is available.

The number of Officers, as at 31^stOctober 2017, is 1,056 out of an establishment of 1,233. The number of Cadets in training has substantially increased recently with 100 Cadets having been recruited in each of the years 2016 and 2017. Approximately 70 Army Cadets will be commissioned in January 2018

As I have previously outlined there are particular challenges with vacancies in certain specialist posts such as Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers and certain Technicians. These specialists can prove difficult to retain where, as in the current economic circumstances, there are ongoing private sector and commercial semi-state sector job opportunities.

To address these difficulties, a range of recruitment methods are being employed including direct entry competitions for specialist positions. I have directed the civil and military management to develop proposals for expanding such direct entry recruitment of specialists and a scheme to faciliate former PDF personnel with appropriate skill-sets to re-enter the Defence Forces. The Public Service Pay Commission will further examine the issue of retention of specialist personnel in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020

In tandem with these actions my Department is also engaged in planning on a longer term basis. Projects arising from the White Paper on Defence around topics such as medium term manpopwer planning and encouraging as wide a pool as possible for recruitment are already underway. Further projects, scheduled to begin in the New Year will address issues such as age profiles and a gap analysis of skill-sets within the PDF. The gap analysis will help to identify the frequency of such gaps and identify appropriate measures to address them.

I remain committed to maximising recruitment of capable personnel, developing serving personnel, and so achieving the best personnel and skills combination to ensure the Defence Forces retain the capacity to operate effectively across all roles.