Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
229. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the breakdown of personnel, by rank, for the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17670/23]
View answerThe strength of the Defence Forces at 31 March 2023 stood at 7,807 personnel or 82% of the current agreed strength of 9,500 personnel.
The attached documents contain the requested breakdown of personnel by rank for the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, as of the 31 December 2022 and the 31 March 2023 (the latest date for which such figures are available).
Ongoing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces have been acknowledged. My immediate focus is now on stabilising the staffing situation in the Defence Forces and thereafter in bringing the strength to the numbers required to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.
Strength as at 31 March 2023
|
Overall |
Army |
Naval Service |
Air Corp |
|
|
Officers |
||||
|
Lieutenant General |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Major General |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Brigadier General (Commodore NS) |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
Colonel (Captain NS) |
41 |
37 |
2 |
2 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel (Commander NS) |
136 |
109 |
13 |
14 |
|
Commandant (Lt Commander NS) |
338 |
251 |
48 |
39 |
|
Captain (Lieutenant NS) |
363 |
264 |
56 |
43 |
|
Lieutenant (Ensign NS) |
351 |
257 |
36 |
58 |
|
Total Officers |
1,239 |
926 |
156 |
157 |
|
Enlisted Personnel |
||||
|
Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer NS) |
41 |
29 |
6 |
6 |
|
Brigade Quartermaster (Senior Chief Petty Officer NS) |
43 |
32 |
7 |
4 |
|
Company Sergeant (Chief Petty Officer NS) |
235 |
109 |
74 |
52 |
|
Company Quartermaster (Senior Petty Officer NS) |
182 |
156 |
12 |
14 |
|
Sergeant (Petty Officer NS) |
910 |
708 |
114 |
88 |
|
Corporal (leading Seaman NS) |
1,354 |
1,136 |
97 |
121 |
|
Private (Seamen NS) |
3,751 |
3,204 |
282 |
265 |
|
Cadet (Classified as enlisted personnel in training) |
52 |
33 |
10 |
9 |
|
Total Enlisted Personnel |
6,568 |
5,407 |
602 |
559 |
|
Total |
7,807 |
6,333 |
758 |
716 |
Strength as at 31 December 2022
|
Overall |
Army |
Naval Service |
Air Corp |
|
|
Officers |
||||
|
Lieutenant General |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Major General |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Brigadier General (Commodore NS) |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
Colonel (Captain NS) |
38 |
33 |
3 |
2 |
|
Lieutenant Colonel (Commander NS) |
133 |
106 |
12 |
15 |
|
Commandant (Lt Commander NS) |
341 |
252 |
50 |
39 |
|
Captain (Lieutenant NS) |
329 |
234 |
54 |
41 |
|
Lieutenant (Ensign NS) |
404 |
301 |
38 |
65 |
|
Total Officers |
1,255 |
934 |
158 |
163 |
|
Enlisted Personnel |
||||
|
Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer NS) |
40 |
26 |
6 |
8 |
|
Brigade Quartermaster (Senior Chief Petty Officer NS) |
42 |
32 |
7 |
3 |
|
Company Sergeant (Chief Petty Officer NS) |
232 |
112 |
73 |
47 |
|
Company Quartermaster (Senior Petty Officer NS) |
182 |
156 |
13 |
13 |
|
Sergeant (Petty Officer NS) |
919 |
706 |
128 |
85 |
|
Corporal (leading Seaman NS) |
1,315 |
1,104 |
89 |
122 |
|
Private (Seamen NS) |
3,902 |
3,333 |
315 |
254 |
|
Cadet (Classified as enlisted personnel in training) |
90 |
66 |
10 |
14 |
|
Total Enlisted Personnel |
6,722 |
5,535 |
641 |
546 |
|
Total |
7,977 |
6,469 |
799 |
709 |
