Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

136. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to provide a list of all chronic illnesses and medical conditions that currently preclude members of the Defence Forces from serving; whether there have been any exceptions made to allow personnel who develop such chronic illness to remain in the service; and his views on whether members of the Defence Forces who develop chronic illnesses during their careers should, subject to medical advice and operational requirements, be permitted to continue serving. [50104/25]

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

Medical examinations for potential new recruits, which are carried out by Defence Forces Medical Officers or contracted occupational medicine specialists, consist of a full history and examination, including a clinical questionnaire and declaration by the applicant, anthropometry (height, weight, BMI), blood pressure and pulse, visual acuity testing, colour vision screening, audiometry, ECG, blood tests, and a full physical examination. The military authorities have indicated that it is not possible to list every medical condition that would prevent an applicant from being found fit to join the Defence Forces.

Given the nature of Defence Forces duties, it is vital that all Defence Forces personnel maintain an appropriate level of health and fitness. Accordingly, Defence Forces personnel have a Medical Classification Code (MCC). Personnel who develop medical conditions during their service may reach a point where their MCC renders them as being ‘Below Defence Forces Medical Standards’, and so they are considered medically unfit for service and may be discharged from the Defence Forces.

All Medical Examinations are conducted either by Defence Forces Medical Officers or contracted occupational medicine specialists and are undertaken in line with the provisions laid down in Defence Forces Regulations and appropriate administrative instruction, including Medical Corps instructions on clinical policy guidance. These instructions set out the process for the undertaking of medical examinations and also the process for serving personnel to appeal their MCC.