Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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191. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to provide an update on any progress by military authorities in their consideration of the report and recommendations of the Defence Forces Colour Vision Working Group on colour vision requirements for entry to the Defence Forces; when he will publish this report; and when the recommendations will be implemented. [6296/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Candidates applying for positions in the Defence Forces are required to meet specific criteria, which include medical standards for military service, as laid down in Defence Forces Regulations, made pursuant to the Defence Act 1954, as amended and extended. These medical standards are based on the professional advice of the Medical Corps and having regard to the nature of the job, the duties of military service and the training exercises undertaken by members of the Defence Forces

The vision standards required for entry to the Defence Forces include that applicants colour vision must be normal. The Defence Forces colour vision standard is defined by the ability to pass the Ishihara Colour Plates. To be accepted as an eligible candidate for entry into the Defence Forces, the applicant must have a normal result in this test.

The conditions for entry to and service in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), including the methodologies used for assessments, are subject to continuous review and modification having regard to the needs of the organisation and the development of best practices. More specifically in relation to the issue of colour blindness, a Study Group on Defence Forces Standards of Colour Deficiency, established to review the colour vision requirements for entry to the Defence Forces, has concluded its work.

The military authorities have advised that the report and its recommendations remain under consideration in respect of the regulatory impacts, across a range of Defence Forces Regulations. They have further advised that following identification and consideration of the regulatory impacts and subject to approval by the Defence Forces Board the next stage will be engagement with the Department of Defence to determine an agreed position before engagement with the Representative Associations.