Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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34. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the way in which the recommended establishment figure for the Defence Forces is calculated; if it is based on population density or other considerations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36677/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The establishment figures for the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), the Army Reserve (AR)and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR) are set on the basis of the operational requirements to ensure that the Defence Forces can meet the roles assigned to it by Government. Other considerations include the security environment and available funding resources.

In 2011, the Government stabilised the establishment of the PDF at 7,520 Army, 886 Air Corps and 1,094 Naval Service personnel. In 2013, the establishments of the AR and the NSR were set at 3,869 and 200 personnel respectively.

The subsequent White Paper on Defence, published in 2015, resulted from a comprehensive examination of Defence requirements over a ten year planning horizon. Having regard to the revised assessment of the security environment, and consideration of the operational requirements needed to ensure that the Defence Forces can continue to meet all roles assigned to it in the White Paper, the Government decided to retain the PDF establishment at 9,500 and to make provision for an increase in the overarching establishment of the AR and NSR to 4,169 personnel.