Written answers
Thursday, 5 March 2020
Department of Defence
Defence Forces Personnel Data
Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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24. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces that left their posts in 2019, by rank in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3720/20]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The following table shows the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel, broken down by rank, who discharged between 1st January and the 31st December 2019:
| Rank | Number Discharged |
|---|---|
| LT GEN | 0 |
| MAJ GEN | 2 |
| BRIG GEN | 2 |
| COL | 4 |
| LT COL | 11 |
| COMDT | 27 |
| CAPT | 21 |
| LT | 3 |
| SGT MAJ | 9 |
| BQMS | 9 |
| CS | 28 |
| CQMS | 15 |
| SGT | 98 |
| CPL | 117 |
| PTE 3* | 347 |
| Trained total | 693 |
| PTE 2* | 20 |
| REC | 150 |
| APPR | 3 |
| CADET | 12 |
| In Training Total | 185 |
| Total Departures | 878 |
Personnel leave the Defence Forces for a variety of reasons including on age grounds, at end of contract and voluntary discharges. A long term average of just over 20% of personnel depart while in training.
The Government remains committed to on-going recruitment to the Defence Forces and to retaining sufficient personnel, to ensure that the Defence Forces can operate effectively across all roles. In this context, the Government's High Level Implementation Plan "Strengthening Our Defence Forces - Phase 1" sets out a range of measures to tackle recruitment and retention issues in the Permanent Defence Force. Implementation of this plan is a priority for civil and military management.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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25. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces that served overseas on missions during 2019; the number currently serving overseas; the locations in which they are serving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3722/20]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The number of members of the Defence Forces that served overseas on missions during 2019 was 1,788.
As of 3rdMarch 2020, Ireland is contributing 589 Defence Forces personnel to 10 different missions throughout the world and also to a range of international organisations and National representations.
The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 354 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 138 personnel.
Details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed below.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force Serving Overseas
As of 3rd March 2020
| UN MISSIONS | |
|---|---|
| UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ | 9 |
| UNIFIL 115th Infantry Battalion | 337 |
| UNIFIL Sector West | 8 |
| UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel & Syria | 11 |
| MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) | 2 |
| MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 3 |
| UNDOF (COS Staff/FHQ Staff - Camp Faouar - Bravo side) | 9 |
| UNDOF 60th Infantry Group (Camp Faouar - Bravo side) | 129 |
| MINUSMA (Irish Defence Forces Task Unit) Mali | 13 |
| Total | 521 |
| UN MANDATED MISSIONS | |
| EUFOR (EU-led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 5 |
| EUTM Mali (EU-Led Training Mission) | 20 |
| KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) HQ | 13 |
| Naval Service EU Naval Mission (Op Sophia) OHQ | 3 |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS | 562 |
| ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) | |
| Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group, Vienna | 1 |
| EU MILITARY STAFF | |
| Brussels | 6 |
| EU BATTLE GROUP | |
| German Led Battle Group 202-2, FHQ, Stadtallendorf | 10 |
| MILITARY REPRESENTAIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF | |
| Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York | 1 |
| Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna | 1 |
| Military Representative to EU (Brussels) | 4 |
| Liaison Officer of Ireland, NATO / PfP (Brussels) | 3 |
| EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium | 1 |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS | 589 |
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