Increasing recruitment and retention of personnel in the Defence Forces is a key priority for me as Minister for Defence. As a government, we are committed to putting the resources in place to achieve Level of Ambition 2 and a crucial element of this is personnel expansion. A range of measures have been undertaken to tackle recruitment and retention challenges in the Defence Forces over the last number of years. As a result, we have seen a stabilisation in strength in the Defence Forces in 2024 and an increase of almost 200 personnel in 2025. This demonstrates that the key enabling measures which the Government has introduced to support and drive Defence Forces recruitment are yielding results.
As of the 31 January 2026, the latest date such figures are available for, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) stood at 7,767 personnel.
In order to meet government targets for strength levels in the PDF, the Defence Forces are making concerted efforts to increase recruitment. Last year saw a significant growth in numbers with 790 inductions to the Permanent Defence Force (PDF)- the highest in twenty years. I am advised by the Defence Forces that this induction figures comprises all personnel at all ranks who enlist/join the PDF. Furthermore, all Defence Forces personnel are attested (enlisted or commissioned) on the day that they commence their service in the Defence Forces which therefore renders the induction figure the same as the number attested.
I want to build on the progress achieved in 2025 and I am pleased that there continues to be very strong interest in a career in the Defence Forces with further growth again last year in the number of applications received. A total of 16,510 applications were received in 2025, which represents an increase of more than twenty percent on the 13,348 applications recorded 2024. The table below details the number of applications and inductions to the Defence Forces from 2021 to 2025 as requested by the Deputy.
|
Year
|
Applications
|
Inductions
|
|
2021
|
9,561
|
576
|
|
2022
|
8,043
|
435
|
|
2023
|
9,479
|
415
|
|
2024
|
13,348
|
708
|
|
2025
|
16,510
|
790
|
Government has introduced a range of key enabling measures to support and drive Defence Forces recruitment and retention. These include increases in the maximum ages of recruitment and retirement respectively, the extension of private secondary healthcare to all personnel and the application of the provisions of the Working Time Directive across the Defence Forces subject to certain exemptions. The Patrol Duty allowance payable to Naval Service personnel at sea has been doubled after ten days at sea in a calendar year while the Naval Service tax credit has been extended up to 2029.
There continues to be progress on pay with all personnel benefiting from a pay award delivered last month with a further increase due in June.
All Defence Forces recruitment is conducted fairly and transparently and in accordance with legislation and best practise.
In addition, I am advised by the Defence Forces that there are regular audits and evaluations of recruitment expenditure to ensure adherence to spending allocations and alignment with budgetary policies.
The recruitment process has also been extensively reviewed and modernised by the Defence Forces. A new candidate application system has been introduced which will provide end-to-end attrition data in the future. The new systems leverage enhanced applicant tracking and data analytics to improve recruitment processes and allow data driven decision making and ensure better allocation of resources.
