Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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252. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which the recruitment of women to the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps continues to receive attention; if the numbers responding is indicative of an awareness of the need to ensure adequate gender balance in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4193/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is Government policy to increase female participation rates at all levels of the Defence Forces in order to increase capability and to better reflect the society from which the Defence Forces are drawn and serve.

As of 31 December 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) stood at 8,468 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) personnel. Of this some 598 personnel or 7% were female, broken down as follows:

- Army: 488 Female Personnel

- Air Corps: 39 Female Personnel

- Naval Service: 71 Female Personnel

In the two general service recruitment campaigns conducted in 2021, approximately 11% of the Applicants were female while the figure for cadet Applicants was approximately 15%.

In line with current policies and commitments a number of initiatives have been implemented to increase the level of female participation in the Permanent Defence Force. For example:

- Special consideration is paid to women as a target group for recruitment within the general recruitment framework, including a Female Recruitment Standing Committee reporting on initiatives for 2022, with dedicated female recruitment teams proposed. In addition, a female specific "Always on" (constant targeting of the female demographic) campaign commenced in October 2021.

- The Defence Forces actively engage with schools to conduct career talks and regularly attend events aimed at future career choices for schools.

- A Gender Equality and Diversity Officer has been appointed to promote gender equality policies and training within the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces are committed to gender equality and employ a gender perspective in the planning and execution of operations both at home and overseas and in all policies and regulations. Gender Advisors are available to all Brigades and Services and trained Gender Focal Points are deployed with all overseas units and ships in order to promote a gender perspective in operations.

- A Defence Forces Women's Network was established with the aim of increasing the participation of female personnel at all levels of the organisation.

Over the lifetime of the White Paper on Defence, a number of projects will be progressed to ensure the development and promotion of strategies that continue to support increased female participation in the Defence Forces.

In addition, a review of recruitment practices and processes in the PDF, tasked under the High Level Implementation Plan arising from the Public Service Pay Commission report, has additionally examined all aspects of the recruitment process, including diversity, as part of its work. I have recently approved the final report.

The Government remains 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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253. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which all branches of the Defence Forces, that is, the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps with Reserves have adequate training upgrades with a view to ensuring smooth operation in the field as and when necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4194/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The primary function of training in the Defence Forces is to develop and maintain the capabilities necessary to enable them to fulfil the roles laid down by Government.

The Defence Forces conduct training under four broad categories, namely; Leadership, Skills, Career, and Collective. Leadership Training is the medium through which the Defence Forces ensure that personnel are prepared for exercising command authority across the full range of military functions both at home and overseas in international operations. Skills Training ensures that Defence Forces personnel have the requisite individual, specialist, and crew skills. Career Training, and education, provides the organisation with the necessary pool of leaders and commanders at all levels. Collective Training allows military personnel to use their individual, crew, specialist and career training together, to develop integrated and coherent combat forces.

The scheduling of training in the Defence Forces, including the Reserve, is underpinned by an analysis of training required to meet operational output and capability development requirements.

The Defence Forces seek to constantly benchmark training across all three arms of the organisation against best military and academic practice. Military best practice is ensured by implementing a policy of standardisation that is in line with EU and NATO/Partnership for Peace partners. Academic best practice is ensured by benchmarking courses through accreditation under the National Framework of Qualifications which is validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland.

The Defence Forces deliver military programmes and modules meeting national and international standards and engage with external educational institutions in order to facilitate organisational learning. This engagement with national and international educational institutions, military and civilian, aims to ensure that the Defence Forces retain currency with regards to best international practice and employ all relevant modern training methods.

I remain committed to ensuring that all personnel of the Defence Forces continue to be trained to appropriate standards.