Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the strength in whole-time equivalent terms of the Defence Forces Reserve with regard to all three services and all ranks. [44406/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As of 30 September 2018 (the latest date for which figures are available), the effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force was as follows:

I am aware that there is a difference between these figures and the establishment for the AR and NSR which provides for 4,069 personnel. To address this difference, I directed the military authorities to maximise recruitment to the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve, having regard to training demands arising from significant ongoing recruitment to the PDF. 

A total of 1,363 applications were received for the recent RDF General Service Recruitment campaign.  Applications for this recruitment campaign, which ran between 23 April and 4 June 2018, are currently being processed. A total of 124 members have been inducted into the RDF in 2018 (as of 12 October 2018).

I can assure the Deputy that I remain committed to the on-going development of the RDF within the framework set out in the White Paper on Defence.