200 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline the average age of (a) privates, (b) corporals and (c) sergeants in the Defence Forces at (1) 1981, (2) 1991; and if he will compare these averages with the equivalent in defence forces in other European countries.

Details of the average ages of sergeants, corporals and privates of the Permanent Defence Force in 1981 and 1991 are as follows: