Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of females who joined the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service in 2018 and to-date in 2019; the number of females who are in training for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as at 30 September 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40926/19]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The following table illustrates the number of females that joined the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service in 2018 and to-date in 2019 by Branch, as at 30th September 2019.

All members of the Permanent Defence Force who are not deployed on operations or engaged in duties, while remaining available for service at all times, are otherwise engaged in constant ongoing training.

The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. This is underlined by a commitment in the Programme for Government to increase the level of female participation in the Defence Forces.