John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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469. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current total strength of Air Corps personnel; the number of qualified military pilots and cadet pilots in training; the number of qualified military aircraft maintenance technicians, qualified military avionics technicians and military apprentices in training of both aforementioned disciplines [23305/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the military authorities that the strength of the Air Corps, as at 6 May 2022, is 758 whole-time equivalent personnel.

The table below shows the strength by requested stream: -

A Military Aircraft Technician (MAT) is an individual who has qualified from an Air Corps apprenticeship, or a direct entrant deemed to have the appropriate qualifications to work on aircraft in the various maintenance roles. Personnel in these roles cover the broad range of disciplines within the Air Corps e.g. avionics technicians, aircraft mechanics, crew leaders, and aircraft inspectors. 

All MATs are employed in the maintenance of aircraft. At any one time, they may be employed in any of the broad range of maintenance disciplines, be in training, or serving overseas. The total number of qualified MATs is therefore inclusive of those who may be assigned to avionics duties, or any of the other disciplines, at any one time.

As outlined, there is a strong training pipeline for MATs consisting of 66 apprentices. Of these apprentices, all 66 are undergoing their qualification process and will, on successful completion, be streamed into rotary, fixed-wing or avionics technician categories.

My focus remains on retaining/restoring all branches of the Defence Forces to their full capacity. Furthermore, the work of the Commission on the Defence Forces included, inter alia, consideration of staffing and recruitment and retentions matters. The Commission’s report was published on 9 February 2022 and all recommendations are being carefully considered. I intend to bring a proposed response to the report’s recommendations and a high-level action plan to the government for consideration.