John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

273. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will increase the maximum age to join the reserve Defence Forces to 43; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28555/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The age limits for recruitment into both the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) are governed by Defence Force Regulations.

The mandatory retirement and maximum recruitment ages for RDF personnel were amended in March 2024 and this resulted in the upper age limit for recruitment to the RDF being increased to 39 years of age.

These increases are aligned with those in place for the PDF and given how recent these changes are there are no plans at this time to further review the upper age limit for recruitment.