Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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363. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the plans to improve the conditions of service for Defence Forces medical officers given the difficulties in retaining this critical capability (details supplied). [58090/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The provision of medical services within the Defence Forces is a combination of primary care and an occupational medical service. Medical oversight is necessary in order to maintain a Defence Force that is operationally ready for the tasks assigned by Government, thereby facilitating operations at home and overseas, as well as safeguarding the health and safety of Defence Forces personnel.

Defence Forces medical capability encompasses a broad range of disciplines including doctors (Medical Officers), dentists, physiotherapists, pharmacists and psychologists. Vacancies in these disciplines are advertised as they arise and are filled in a number of different ways. The Defence Forces also have trained enlisted personnel serving in Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic roles.

I am informed that recruitment for Medical Officers remains ongoing. The first two doctors are due to graduate from the Military Medicine Training Scheme during 2023 and will become full-time Medical Officers in the Defence Forces. A further four (4) applicants have been successful via a recent Direct Entry competition, with one (1) recently commissioned and three (3) currently in the process of being security-cleared.

The Defence Forces endeavour to ensure that operations are not impacted by vacancies, Medical Officer or otherwise, and ensure a layered level of medical cover for all operations undertaken both at home and overseas.

I am unable to comment on the career structures of other public sector bodies, and the salaries of all Defence Forces personnel are determined in line with overall public sector pay policy. However, I can assure the Deputy that the recruitment and retention of trained medical personnel, as with other specialist areas within the Defence Forces, is a matter of priority.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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364. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel inducted and discharged by rank to date in 2022. [58091/22]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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365. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of vacancies that exist in the Defence Forces by rank. [58092/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together.

The attached Table 1 outlines the variance between current strength and the establishment strength, by rank, within Permanent Defence Force as at 31 October 2022, the latest date for which such information is available.

Table 2, attached, details the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel, by rank, that were discharged (as at 31 October 2022, the latest date such information is available) and inducted (as at 18 November 2022), as requested. Inductions reflect both general service recruitment, reentry of ex-PDF personnel, direct entry specialists, and cadet competitions. Vacancies at non-recruitment ranks are filled on an ongoing basis in line with promotional arrangements.

Staffing challenges in the Defence Forces are acknowledged and my focus is on bringing it's strength to the numbers required to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

Table 1

Strength V Establishment by Rank (30 Nov 2022)*

Table 2

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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366. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when projects (details supplied) in the high-level implementation plan "Strengthening our Defence Forces", which was published in July 2019, will be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58093/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) on Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces was published on the 4th of July 2019. The Report was accepted in full by the Government at that time and an extensive High Level Plan (HLIP) titled "Strengthening our Defence Forces” was also agreed and published on the same date.

All projects undertaken to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the PSPC report have now been completed, and/or are being progressed as part of normal business. The Project Management Office (PMO) has been stood down. This was communicated by a civil/military team in a final briefing on the status of the HLIP projects on 11 April 2022, to which the representative organisations of the Permanent Defence Force were invited.

For example the project that examined Barriers to Extended Participation in the PDF, which was split into two phases, was progressed for consideration in the context of broader public sector pensions policy. Phase 1 focused on reviewing mandatory retirement ages for Officers which is under consideration of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to the implications on costs and pensions.

Phase 2 examined the contracts of service and mandatory retirement ages for enlisted personnel. I secured agreement, in December 2021, with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, which allows for an extension in service limits for Privates and Corporals, who were recruited to the Permanent Defence Force since 1 January 1994, to remain in service up to 50 years of age, subject to them meeting certain criteria including medical and fitness standards.

I recently secured an interim arrangement with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform which will allow for the retention in service for a further two years to the end of 2024 for Sergeants recruited after 1 January 1994, who are or would reach 50 years of age by the end of 2024, subject to their meeting certain criteria including passing medical and fitness tests.

The service limits for all ranks in the Defence Forces and other recommendations in the review relating to Commissioned Officers and senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) ranks, will be considered in the context of the Inter-Departmental Working Group, which the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has established, to consider mandatory retirement ages and service limits for public service groups who have fast accrual pension arrangements.

In February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces reported and its recommendations have been accepted by Government along with a High Level Action Plan for their implementation. A civil/military Implementation Management Office has been established to support the overall transformation programme required to implement these recommendations. The initial focus is the progressing of the 38 early actions as set out in the High Level Action Plan and the development of a detailed implementation plan for the remainder.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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367. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the delivery of the early actions outlined in the high-level action plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if all targets will be met. [58094/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The High Level Action Plan (HLAP) for the Commission on the Defence Forces Report set out 38 early actions to be completed.

The HLAP set out initial implementation and oversight structures.

A civil/military Implementation Management Office (IMO) has been established to support the implementation of the overall transformation programme required to implement the recommendations from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. The initial focus of the IMO is the implementation of the 38 early actions as set out in the High Level Action Plan and the development of an Implementation Plan.

An Implementation Oversight Group has been established which met for the first time on 3 October. Subsequently, Ms. Julie Sinnamon was appointed as the the Independent Chair of the Implementation Oversight Group with a second meeting taking place on 17 November.

A High-Level Steering Board has been established, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, to oversee the implementation.

Significant progress has been made on the implementation of these 38 early actions, with the vast majority of early actions at an advanced stage. I have every confidence that the majority, if not all, of the early actions, will be completed within the agreed timeframe.