Update: Annual Training for FCA Members, 26th June 2015

 QUESTION NO:   126  

* To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which members of the FCA receive annual training to the full extent required on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.  

 
* For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 25th June, 2015.
 
Ref No: 25600/15 Proof: 139
 
 

Minister for Defence (Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D.):  

 
The Value for Money Review of the Reserve Defence Force   (RDF)   was published in November 2012. A key recommendation in that review was to ensure that all effective members of the Reserve were afforded the opportunity to undertake annual training.

The criteria for effectiveness of RDF personnel are set out in Defence Forces Regulations (DFR R5). The criteria for the effectiveness, including attendance at training are currently being reviewed in line with the recommendation made in the Value for Money Review (VFM) Review of the RDF. DFR R5 will be updated in due course to reflect any changes in these criteria. In the interim, indicative attendance requirements for 2015 were set out in Administrative Order 01/2013, “Implementation of the Defence Forces Reorganisation Plan Reserve Defence Force (RDF), 2012-2013” .  
 
In this context, the indicative attendance requirements for individual reservists for 2015 are a total of 48 hours paid/unpaid training and a minimum of 12 hours voluntary unpaid experiential training.  
 
As of 31 ^st  May, 2015, the effective strength of the RDF is 2,070 personnel for the Army and 127 for the Naval Service.