Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 May 2024
15. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the establishment figure of the Defence Forces; the number of personnel required under level of ambition 2 of the Commission on the Defence Forces; the total current number of personnel in the Permanent Defence Force; his targets for net recruitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22057/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of the 31 March 2024, the latest date for which such data is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,510 personnel.
As one of the recommendations from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, Government approved a move, over a six-year period, to a level of Permanent Defence Force capability equivalent to Level of Ambition 2. That would require an additional 2,000 personnel, including a civilian component, beyond the 9,500 establishment figure that was in place at the time of the Commission’s report. The ultimate distribution of these additional personnel between the different branches of the Defence Forces is under consideration.
The overall current establishment of the Defence Forces was recently increased to 9,600 in order to expedite implementation of the report through promotions and reassignments. These extra positions are not broken down by branch.
Induction numbers fluctuate from year to year. Budget 2024 allocated €1.23 billion for the Defence Sector, which included a provision for the recruitment and training of a net additional 400 personnel in 2024. As part of strategies to achieve this there are a number of recruitment and retention initiatives currently underway aimed at maximising recruitment capacity and stabilising numbers.
Every effort is being made to increase the strength of our Defence Forces. The current recruitment and retention challenges being experienced are being experienced world-wide. This Government has introduced a range of measures, including significant progress on pay, to make the Defence Forces an attractive option as a career choice.
