Written answers
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Department of Defence
Defence Forces Data
John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of retirees from the Defence Forces at all ranks in each of the years 2007 to 2017. [15404/18]
Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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138. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number and rank of PDF members that retired in each of the years 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; the number and rank of all PDF members eligible to retire in each of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15958/18]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 138 together.
The number of departures from the Defence Forces at all ranks in each of the years 2002 to 2018 is set out in the table below. (Figures quoted for 2018 are as of the 28thFebruary 2018). Over this time frame different strength ceilings applied to the Permanent Defence Force. The White Paper (2000) set the strength of Permanent Defence Force at 10,500 personnel. This number was reduced to 10,000 personnel following a recommendation from the Special Group on Public Service Numbers in July 2009. The current strength ceiling of 9,500 personnel was introduced in 2012 and confirmed in the White Paper on Defence (2015).
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT GEN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MAJ GEN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BRIG GEN | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| COL | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
| LT COL | 13 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 13 |
| COMDT | 20 | 19 | 12 | 19 | 27 | 28 | 26 |
| CAPT | 13 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| LT | 6 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Officers | 58 | 41 | 37 | 53 | 52 | 63 | 49 |
| SGT MAJOR | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| BQMS | 9 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| CS/FS/BS | 18 | 16 | 22 | 9 | 16 | 28 | 16 |
| CQMS/FQMS | 12 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 22 | 19 | 20 |
| SGT | 86 | 67 | 76 | 54 | 75 | 60 | 73 |
| CPL | 90 | 80 | 62 | 60 | 68 | 85 | 70 |
| PTE 3 * | 297 | 217 | 162 | 174 | 215 | 193 | 131 |
| Other Ranks | 516 | 401 | 345 | 324 | 409 | 398 | 315 |
| CADET | 8 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 2 |
| PTE 2 * | 35 | 20 | 12 | 33 | 24 | 28 | 28 |
| APPRENTICE | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| GRADE 1 | 112 | 107 | 138 | 110 | 88 | 150 | 149 |
| In Initial Training | 158 | 137 | 162 | 151 | 128 | 188 | 179 |
| Total | 732 | 579 | 544 | 528 | 589 | 649 | 543 |
Table contd...
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT GEN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MAJ GEN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BRIG GEN | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| COL | 14 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 3 |
| LT COL | 18 | 17 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 0 |
| COMDT | 33 | 21 | 38 | 31 | 20 | 28 | 22 | 35 | 23 | 5 |
| CAPT | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 19 | 30 | 21 | 20 | 2 |
| LT | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Officers | 82 | 56 | 74 | 70 | 59 | 81 | 75 | 80 | 76 | 10 |
| SGT MAJOR | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| BQMS | 12 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| CS/FS/BS | 22 | 32 | 26 | 36 | 11 | 19 | 20 | 25 | 21 | 5 |
| CQMS/FQMS | 24 | 26 | 26 | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 2 |
| SGT | 93 | 70 | 84 | 117 | 52 | 44 | 73 | 97 | 71 | 10 |
| CPL | 59 | 82 | 79 | 110 | 55 | 39 | 70 | 47 | 57 | 17 |
| PTE 3 * | 164 | 208 | 271 | 258 | 147 | 141 | 217 | 218 | 237 | 26 |
| Other Ranks | 383 | 429 | 497 | 568 | 280 | 266 | 395 | 406 | 422 | 63 |
| CADET | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| PTE 2 * | 12 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 32 | 24 | 0 |
| APPRENTICE | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| GRADE 1 | 7 | 2 | 56 | 111 | 85 | 104 | 66 | 126 | 171 | 11 |
| In Initial Training | 24 | 14 | 70 | 125 | 106 | 122 | 86 | 169 | 209 | 11 |
| Total | 489 | 499 | 641 | 763 | 445 | 469 | 556 | 655 | 707 | 84 |
The term departures encompasses personnel who fall into categories such as those who have retired on age grounds, fall below required medical standards, leave at their own request including recruits etc. who leave during training, leave by way of purchasing their discharge, leave the Defence Forces having served 21 years etc.
The military authorities have advised that the expected discharges on grounds of age in each of the years 2018 to 2020 are as set out in the table below. There will be additional departures for other reasons but it is difficult to predict such numbers.
EXPECTED DISCHARGES ON GROUNDS OF AGE
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LT GEN | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MAJ GEN | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| BRIG GEN | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| COL | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| LT COL | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| COMDT | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| CAPT | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| LT | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Officers | 5 | 20 | 20 |
| SGT MAJOR | 3 | 8 | 6 |
| BQMS | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| CS/FS/BS | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| CQMS/FQMS | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| SGT | 8 | 11 | 20 |
| CPL | 8 | 15 | 14 |
| PTE 3 STAR | 9 | 24 | 32 |
| Total Other ranks | 42 | 73 | 90 |
| CADET | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PTE 2 STAR | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| APPRENTICE | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GRADE 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| In Training | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 47 | 93 | 110 |
The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with operational requirements. In 2018, the Defence Forces expect an intake of some 800 personnel across the range of recruitment streams. To achieve this, targeted recruitment has been and is currently taking place so as to maintain the agreed strength levels. Current recruitment campaigns include:
- General Service Recruitment
- Air Corps Apprentice Competition
- Officers Cadetship
- Direct Entry Officer competitions for certain specified positions
I remain committed to continuous recruitment and ongoing developing of serving personnel to ensure that the Defence Forces retain the capacity to operate effectively across all roles assigned by Government.
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