Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2024
136. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current strength of the Defence Forces; his targets for recruitment; the year by which he intends to reach the Level of Ambition 2 requirement of 11,500 personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28162/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of the 31 May 2024, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,447 personnel.
As the Deputy is aware, 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. This will require an additional 2,000 personnel by 2028, including a civilian component, beyond the 9,500 establishment figure that was in place at the time of the Commission’s report.
While 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.
I have fully acknowledged the current staffing challenges in the Defence Forces, and work is ongoing to counter these. A range of recruitment measures, along with financial and non-financial retention incentives which include significant progress on pay and allowances, have been implemented to address such challenges.
