Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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169. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if steps have been taken to address the shortage of people and facilities for the training of pilots in the Air Corps. [49369/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Recruitment and retention of specialist personnel in the Defence Forces personnel is a challenge, which I have acknowledged on a number of occasions. However, considerable progress has been made to address potential barriers to recruitment and retention. A number of financial and non-financial retention initiatives are being implemented including an increase in the mandatory retirement a to 62, increase in the maximum recruitment age to 39, and the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the PDF. These measures have been taken in addition to significant progress on pay.

Additional measures are being taken to streamline the recruitment process and further work is being progressed to provide the capacity within the organisation to accept greater numbers at induction. Initial indications, are positive, particularly in the context of the number of expressions of interest received to join the Defence Forces.

The provision of professional training and instruction in the Defence Forces is essential in the context of recruitment and retention. Defence Forces instructors provide the necessary ongoing professional training of Defence Forces personnel and are instrumental in delivering a future focused modern Defence Forces organisation. Instructors must possess advanced education, specialist expertise and substantial experience. The introduction of an appropriate payment, to incentivise qualified officers, who upskill to meet modern training standards, recognises both the important role undertaken by instructing Officers and rewards the higher level of professionalisation that is now expected. Commissioned Officer Instructors who successfully achieve the newly formulated Professionalised Instructor Programme qualification and undertake full-time instructor posts at specific Defence Forces institutions may be eligible for a weekly inducement while serving in such instructor posts.

Additional external support has been put in place which has resulted in an increased level of serviceability for the fleet and increased pilot training capacity, resulting in much faster progression to operational units.

I have approved the introduction of a new Service Commitment scheme aimed at ATC personnel and extended the Service Commitment Scheme available for pilots. A contract with an external service provider to provide Flight Information Service Officer (FISO) services at the Aerodrome has recently been put in place. The contract will assist the Air Traffic Control Service in returning to full operational flight activities on a 24 hour 7 day a week basis.

In addition to the cohort of experienced pilots, the Air Corps has a very strong pipeline of trainee pilots. I am satisfied that the measures taken enables the Air Corps to provide trainee pilots with the required training.