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Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Thursday, 18 Nov 2021 – Houses of the Oireachtas
Defence Forces
Neale Richmond
Neale Richmond
Question:
82. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the efforts to ensure the target of reaching 9,500 members of the Defence Forces is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56189/21]
Colm Burke
Colm Burke
Question:
93. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Defence the way his Department intends to ensure the target strength of 9,500 members of the Defence Forces is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56293/21]
Fergus O'Dowd
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:
102. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Defence the details of the plans that are under way to ensure the target strength of 9,500 members of the Defence Forces is achieved in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56291/21]
Dara Calleary
Dara Calleary
Question:
110. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence when he expects the number in the Defence Forces to reach 9,500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56478/21]
Barry Cowen
Barry Cowen
Question:
126. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Defence the current strength of the Defence Forces in each of the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56484/21]
Deputy Simon Coveney
I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 93, 102, 110 and 126 together.
On 31 October 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, was 8,572 whole-time equivalent personnel comprising 6,946 Army, 878 Naval Service and 748 Air Corps members. While the Government remains committed to returning to and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, a number of factors, some of which are hard to predict, will impact on the timeframe in which this can be achieved.
I have acknowledged the ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces, and a range of actions are designed to tackle this. Continuing recruitment has resulted in a total of 577 personnel being inducted as of 15 November. The scope of direct entry competitions was expanded in 2021 from ten competitions, to include a new Air Corps aircraft technician competition. Additionally, direct entry terms and conditions continue to be revised to improve intakes. The re-entry campaign for former members of the PDF continues.
On retention, there has been significant progress on pay arising out of increases due from recent pay agreements, the most recent of which was a 1% increase on annualised salaries, or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 October, with further increases to follow. There are now service commitment schemes in both the Air Corps and the Naval Service and a special naval service tax credit for seagoing personnel. Furthermore, in light of the particular challenges faced by the defence sector, the Government tasked the Public Service Pay Commission, PSPC, to undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of the underlying difficulties in recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. I am confident the pay benefits delivered by the public service pay agreements, in tandem with the implementation of the PSPC's recommendations, will improve recruitment and retention challenges currently being experienced by the PDF.
Additionally, the Commission on the Defence Forces is due to submit its report by the end of the year and I look forward to receiving it in due course. The recommendations will then be fully considered and will inform future decisions regarding the Defence Forces. My focus remains on retaining and restoring the Permanent Defence Force to its full capacity, but it will take time for some of these measures to take full effect.
Neale RichmondNeale Richmond
Question:
82. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the efforts to ensure the target of reaching 9,500 members of the Defence Forces is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56189/21]
Colm BurkeColm Burke
Question:
93. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Defence the way his Department intends to ensure the target strength of 9,500 members of the Defence Forces is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56293/21]
Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd
Question:
102. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Defence the details of the plans that are under way to ensure the target strength of 9,500 members of the Defence Forces is achieved in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56291/21]
Dara CallearyDara Calleary
Question:
110. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence when he expects the number in the Defence Forces to reach 9,500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56478/21]
Barry CowenBarry Cowen
Question:
126. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Defence the current strength of the Defence Forces in each of the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56484/21]
Deputy Simon CoveneyI propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 93, 102, 110 and 126 together.
On 31 October 2021, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, was 8,572 whole-time equivalent personnel comprising 6,946 Army, 878 Naval Service and 748 Air Corps members. While the Government remains committed to returning to and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel, a number of factors, some of which are hard to predict, will impact on the timeframe in which this can be achieved.
I have acknowledged the ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces, and a range of actions are designed to tackle this. Continuing recruitment has resulted in a total of 577 personnel being inducted as of 15 November. The scope of direct entry competitions was expanded in 2021 from ten competitions, to include a new Air Corps aircraft technician competition. Additionally, direct entry terms and conditions continue to be revised to improve intakes. The re-entry campaign for former members of the PDF continues.
On retention, there has been significant progress on pay arising out of increases due from recent pay agreements, the most recent of which was a 1% increase on annualised salaries, or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 October, with further increases to follow. There are now service commitment schemes in both the Air Corps and the Naval Service and a special naval service tax credit for seagoing personnel. Furthermore, in light of the particular challenges faced by the defence sector, the Government tasked the Public Service Pay Commission, PSPC, to undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of the underlying difficulties in recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. I am confident the pay benefits delivered by the public service pay agreements, in tandem with the implementation of the PSPC's recommendations, will improve recruitment and retention challenges currently being experienced by the PDF.
Additionally, the Commission on the Defence Forces is due to submit its report by the end of the year and I look forward to receiving it in due course. The recommendations will then be fully considered and will inform future decisions regarding the Defence Forces. My focus remains on retaining and restoring the Permanent Defence Force to its full capacity, but it will take time for some of these measures to take full effect.
| Strength versus Establishment by Rank and Branch - October 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Overall | Army | Naval Service | Air Corps | |||||||||
| Establishment | Current | +/- | Establishment | Current | +/- | Establishment | Current | +/- | Establishment | Current | +/- | |
| Officers | ||||||||||||
| Lieutenant General | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Major General | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brigadier General (Commodore NS) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Colonel (Captain NS) | 39 | 40 | +1 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 3 | +1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lieutenant Colonel (Commander NS) | 139 | 136 | -3 | 112 | 107 | -5 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 16 | +2 |
| Commandant (Lt Commander NS) | 336 | 352 | +16 | 255 | 258 | +3 | 45 | 50 | +5 | 36 | 44 | +8 |
| Captain (Lieutenant NS) | 452 | 333 | -119 | 306 | 233 | -73 | 81 | 59 | -22 | 65 | 41 | -24 |
| Lieutenant (Ensign NS) | 256 | 387 | +131 | 167 | 293 | +126 | 41 | 38 | -3 | 48 | 56 | +8 |
| Total Officers | 1,233 | 1,259 | +26 | 884 | 935 | +51 | 183 | 164 | -19 | 166 | 160 | -6 |
| Enlisted Personnel | ||||||||||||
| Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer NS) | 43 | 39 | -4 | 29 | 27 | -2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 6 | -2 |
| Brigade Quartermaster (Senior Chief Petty Officer NS) | 43 | 41 | -2 | 32 | 31 | -1 | 7 | 6 | -1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Company Sergeant (Chief Petty Officer NS) | 246 | 229 | -17 | 115 | 109 | -6 | 75 | 72 | -3 | 56 | 48 | -8 |
| Company Quartermaster (Senior Petty Officer NS) | 198 | 193 | -5 | 169 | 165 | -4 | 15 | 14 | -1 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Sergeant (Petty Officer NS) | 1,330 | 1,009 | -321 | 973 | 789 | -184 | 226 | 128 | -98 | 131 | 92 | -39 |
| Corporal (leading Seaman NS) | 1,801 | 1,466 | -335 | 1438 | 1184 | -254 | 180 | 144 | -36 | 183 | 138 | -45 |
| Private (Seamen NS) | 4,606 | 4,231 | -375 | 3880 | 3628 | -252 | 402 | 332 | -70 | 324 | 271 | -53 |
| Cadet (Classified as enlisted personnel in training) | 0 | 105 | +105 | 0 | 78 | +78 | 0 | 12 | +12 | 0 | 15 | +15 |
| Total Enlisted Personnel | 8,267 | 7,313 | -954 | 6636 | 6011 | -625 | 911 | 714 | -197 | 720 | 588 | -132 |
| Total | 9,500 | 8,572 | -928 | 7,520 | 6,946 | -574 | 1,094 | 878 | -216 | 886 | 748 | -138 |
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