Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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357. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence given the retention and recruitment crisis in the Defence Forces, and considering their experience and knowledge, the involvement that veterans and serving members have in recruitment in the Defence Forces. [49449/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Recruitment to the Defence Forces is conducted by the military authorities in accordance with the Defence Act 1954, as amended. The recruitment process is staffed by serving members of the Defence Forces and serving personnel also engage with recruitment activities such as career talks in schools and attendance at careers events. Units throughout the Defence Forces also host transition year week where students are given the opportunity to talk to serving members from a variety of backgrounds and experience. There is no active involvement of retired personnel in the recruitment process.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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358. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the efforts he has made to stem the exodus of personnel from the Defence Forces. [49450/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have fully acknowledged the staffing issues affecting the Defence Forces. Personnel leave the Permanent Defence Force for a number of reasons including on age grounds, at the end of contract and on voluntary discharge. More than 50% of those who leave the Defence Forces do so with some form of pension which can make taking up a position in the private sector very attractive.

My focus is now on bringing the strength of the Defence Forces to the numbers required to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. In addition to the recently launched "Be More" recruitment campaign, there are a number of other initiatives which are presently being implemented to counter current staffing challenges including:

- Commitment schemes in the Air Corps and Naval Service

- A special tax credit for seagoing Naval Service personnel

- A re-entry scheme for former personnel

- Ongoing recruitment, including direct entry competitions

- The ongoing review of the scope, and terms and conditions, of direct entry competitions to improve intakes

- Significant progress on pay within the Defence Forces arising from increases from recent pay agreements

The capacity of the Defence Forces to undertake the tasks assigned by Government continues to be carefully monitored to ensure that they retain their ability to operate effectively across all roles and to undertake the tasks laid down by Government, both at home and abroad.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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359. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of vacancies by rank in the Defence Forces school of music as of 4 October 2022; and when these vacancies will be filled in tabular form. [49984/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The military authorities have provided the following details in relation to the vacancies that existed on 4 October 2022 in the Defence Forces School of Music.

Vacancies will be filled in line with promotional arrangements and by recruitment. 2 Direct Entry recruitment competitions (Instrumentalists and Conductor) were held in 2021 and further such recruitment will be considered as required.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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360. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the open recruitment process for head of transformation and head of strategic human resources for the Defence Forces; when he expects these roles to be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50051/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Sanction for these posts has recently been received and the process of engagement with the Top Level Appointments Committee has commenced. The recruitment process will be independent of my Department, but I would wish to see the posts filled at the earliest opportunity.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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361. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current state of affairs with respect to recruitment in the Reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50053/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am very cognisant of the fact that the RDF strength level remains lower than the Establishment figure. However, I am aware of the many initiatives in place to recruit individuals to the Reserve.

While the commitment to restoring the strength of the RDF is not in doubt, given the competing recruitment demands at present, PDF recruitment is and should remain a priority. I would add also that the same personnel and resources are utilised for both PDF and RDF recruitment. Nonetheless, RDF recruitment will continue to be progressed to the greatest extent possible.

Supports currently provided to maximise RDF recruitment include use of social media, promotion through the DF Press Office, outreach activities by RDF members, and the use of Permanent Defence Force (PDF) exit interviews, which contain information on applying to the RDF.

A RDF recruitment campaign was opened, for online applications, on 21 March 2022 and was closed on 28 July 2022. Over 1000 applications were received during this window and a number of eligible applicants are undergoing recruitment processing. On completion of all processing and assessments, successful applicants will be inducted into the RDF for recruit training.

To date 70 RDF recruits have been inducted into the Defence Forces from this recruitment campaign.

In July this year, Government approval was given for a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. This will result in the Defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028, the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State.

Some specific initiatives include the establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs with the priority objective of developing a regeneration plan for the Reserve Defence Force. In this context, a High Level Action Plan (HLAP) was approved and will give the underpinning for these actions to be progressed.

I wish to assure the Deputy that that the Government remains fully committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF).