Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 380 together.

The table below shows the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) as at 31st July 2020, the latest date for which such data is available, broken down by rank, service and gender. 

To date 147 personnel (9 female) were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force in 2020 which includes 10 (0 Female) re-enlisted personnel.

Of those inducted, 130 were General Service Recruits and the table below provides the requested breakdown of these Recruits.

Further inductions will take place in the coming months. 

The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel and, while the capacity of the Defence Forces to induct and train recruits in 2020 was severely impacted by the COVID-19 situation,  recruitment and inductions have resumed taking public health guidelines into account.  A campaign to re-enlist former members of the Permanent Defence Force, to fill certain vacancies, is also underway.

The report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) of 2019 contains a range of recommendations aimed at improving recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. A High Level Plan to give effect to the recommendations of the PSPC is currently being implemented. 

The Programme for Government contains a range of commitments aimed at stabilising and restoring the strength of the Defence Forces. A Commission on the Defence Forces will be established and it is intended that on completion of the Commission's work, a permanent pay review body for the Defence Forces will be established.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Reserve Defence Force (RDF) is comprised of the First Line Reserve (FLR), the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). 

The most up to date figures available for the effective strength of the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR), as of 31 July 2020, are set out below.

End of month returns are collated at the mid-month point of the following month and hence August 2020 returns are not available at this time.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the military authorities that 58 new members have been inducted into the Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR) from 1 January to 11 September 2020, broken down as follows:

While a recruitment campaign for the AR and NSR was opened in March 2020, the restrictions imposed in the interests of public health as a result of the Covid 19 Pandemic have had a significant impact on certain Defence Forces activities. As such, it has been difficult to conduct RDF inductions.

The Government remains committed to on-going recruitment in the AR and NSR. I am advised that, while there are no specific dates as of yet, it is anticipated that another recruitment campaign for the AR and NSR will be opened in autumn 2020.