Written answers
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Department of Defence
Defence Forces
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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235. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide the establishment figure for the permanent Defence Forces in total, and separately for the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, from each year beginning in 2006 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8088/25]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The military authorities have provided in the table attached, the establishment figure for the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF), by branch and in total, from 2006 to date. The years 2009 to 2011 do not include a breakdown by branch as with the moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the Public Service, the establishment dropped from 10,500 to 9,500 but the branch strengths were not broken down until work was progressed on developing a revised organisational structure, based on the drop to the 9,500 strength level.
As the Deputy is aware, in July 2022, Government approved a move over, a six-year period, to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. Achieving LOA2 requires a Permanent Defence Force establishment figure of 11,500 by 2028, to include a civilian component. In an effort to expedite the recommendations of this report, the establishment of the Defence Forces was increased between 2023 and 2025, from 9,500 to 9,739, through the creation of positions to be filled through promotion and reassignment.
Working towards these targets, Budget 2025 provided a record allocation of €1.35 billion for the Defence Sector, an increase of €100 million. This allocation includes funding for the recruitment of a net additional 400 personnel per annum, at a minimum.
Significant progress has been made on a number of fronts in addressing recruitment and retention challenges, and 2024 saw a stabilisation of the downward trend in numbers. The allocation of record levels of expenditure to the Defence sector, and the policy initiatives already implemented, is indicative of Government’s commitment in this regard.
Table showing Establishment strength of the PDF by branch from 2006 to date
| Army | Air Corps | Naval Service | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 8,426 | 930 | 1,144 | 10,500 |
| 2007 | 8,426 | 930 | 1,144 | 10,500 |
| 2008 | 8,426 | 930 | 1,144 | 10,500 |
| 2009 | Not broken down | Not broken down | Not broken down | 10,000 |
| 2010 | Not broken down | Not broken down | Not broken down | 10,000 |
| 2011 | Not broken down | Not broken down | Not broken down | 10,000 |
| 2012 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2013 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2014 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2015 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2016 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2017 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2018 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2019 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2020 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2021 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2022 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,500 |
| 2023 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,589* |
| 2024 | 7,520 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,600** |
| 2025 | 7,573 | 886 | 1,094 | 9,739*** |
*As at end of December 2023 the establishment had been increased to 9,589 with the extra 89 posts not been broken down by branch
**As at end of December 2024 the establishment had been increased to 9,600 with the extra 100 posts not been broken down by branch
***As at end of January 2025 the establishment had been increased to 9,739 with 186 posts not been broken down by branch.
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