13 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Defence, with regard to his announcement that women would be accepted into the FCA, if he will outline the number of women it is envisaged will be recruited within the next six months; if any special promotion campaign is planned to attract women recruits; if any plans are being made to cater for women recruits; if all roles within the FCA will be open to women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Arrangements for the recruitment of women to the FCA are currently under way. At this stage however it is not possible to indicate the number who may be taken on. When the arrangements have been finalised, details of recruitment procedures and numbers required will be suitably publicised. The intention is that there will be opportunities for women to serve in a broad range of areas in the FCA but details have yet to be settled.

Would the Minister accept that his announcement to the effect that women will be recruited into the FCA arose directly from a letter which appeared in the national media from two women in Limerick complaining that they had sought to apply and were turned away; that when the matter was taken up by the media the Minister responded immediately saying that efforts would be made allowing women to be recruited into the FCA? Would the Minister confirm that that was simply a reaction in the face of inevitable criticism given the difficulties encountered by those two women?

Rather I would suggest that it shows there is a very receptive Minister for Defence.

Given that the Minister made this gesture on 20 September, is there not something wrong in that the Minister can tell us nothing in detail about the arrangements being put in place, that he cannot inform the House of the numbers that will be deployed, how they will be accommodated or will be involved? Would the Minister not accept that this was merely an oversight on his part and he is now correcting matters bearing in mind his image in the current Presidential election campaign? Would he not agree that there is no more to it than that?

I will accept that in a pleasant manner. Broadly speaking it is envisaged that it will be open to women to serve in the FCA in units of the infantry, artillery, cavalry, engineering, signals, supply and transport sections as well as medical and military police corps; that has been decided. It is intended that women will serve in the same areas as men in the FCA subject to the widely accepted principle that women should not take part in direct operational duties under arms. As in the case of the Permanent Defence Force, women will be encouraged to participate on an equal footing with their male colleagues in all the areas in which they may serve together. Therefore, it will be seen that the proposal is very progressive, and I am very proud of it. Let us get on with the job.

Then would the Minister explain what are the difficulties being encountered now vis-á-vis advising the House of the relevant numbers or the locations of their deployment? What has been done to accommodate them?

We are now devising the necessary accommodation for that purpose. I am preparing it. It is not too difficult. I can assure the Deputy of my wholehearted backing for this proposal which is proceeding.

Very late in the day.