John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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592. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20095/20]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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593. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces that have left the force in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20096/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 592 and 593 together.

The whole time equivalent strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), as at 30th June 2020, is 8,423 personnel.

The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining, the agreed strength of the PDF at 9,500 personnel.  However, the capacity of the Defence Forces to induct and train recruits was severely impacted by the Covid-19 situation but those aspects of the induction process that could be conducted remotely continued throughout the year and inductions/training have been resumed taking public health guidelines into account. 

The number of personnel, including retirees and personnel who did not complete their initial training, who have departed from the PDF each year over the past 5 years is as follows:

The report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) of 2019 contains a range of recommendations aimed at improving work-force planning, recruitment and conditions of service for members of the Defence Forces. A High Level Plan to give effect to the recommendations of the PSPC is being implemented.

It should be noted that as the High Level Implementation Plan contains short, medium and long term measures, the full impact of these measures will take time to determine. There are also a range of external variables which impact on recruitment and retention and which can change and these will be carefully monitored to assess their effect as they arise.

The Programme for Government contains a range of commitments aimed at stabilising and restoring the strength of the Defence Forces. An independent Commission will be established to undertake a comprehensive review of the defence requirements of the State. This review will include, inter alia,consideration of pay, allowances, recruitment retention and career progression of members of the Defence Forces. It is also intended that on completion of this review, a permanent pay review body for the Defence Forces will be established.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of former members of the Defence Forces that have rejoined in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20097/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 1 April last,  former Minister with responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe, TD., launched the scheme to re-enlist former Permanent Defence Force enlisted personnel who have the skills and expertise required to fill identified vacancies that currently exist. This includes technicians, fitters, chefs, communications and IT specialists and naval staff. The scheme will allow for initial re-enlistment for a minimum of six months and up to 3 years. The duration of the re-enlistment offered will be dependent on the vacancies that exist.

On foot of a recommendation from the Chief of Staff, I have recently approved the re-enlistment of 17 candidates. I'm told that further recommendations from the Chief of Staff, having regard to identified skills gaps in the Permanent Defence Force, are imminent. 

The Military Authorities have also advised that those candidates approved by me for re-enlistment, are in the process of being informed of this decision, along with any re-induction training and re-validation requirements,  before proceeding to attestation and re-enlistment. 

Separately, a scheme which facilitates the re-entry of former officers to the Permanent Defence Force introduced last October,  has seen 3 former pilots return to serve in the Air Corps this year. There is also scope to re-commission officers in other specialist streams across the Defence Forces and I understand a number of expressions of interest in the scheme have been received recently.