259. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Defence whether her Department has considered bringing maladministration issues faced by Defence Forces applicants who are not yet serving members under the responsibility of either the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces or the Office of the Ombudsman, in order to bring us in line with European norms with regards to the statutory oversight of recruitment processes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55453/26]

The Office of the Ombudsman serves as an office of independent external review for existing and former members of the Defence Forces. It was established under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) 2004 Act and it's roles and responsibilities are clearly set out in the legislation.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Defence Forces Joint Recruitment Office interfaces with significant numbers of candidates on an annual basis. The number of applicants seeking careers in the Defence Forces has grown substantially in the last three years, culminating in a total of more than 16,500 applications in 2025. A further 11,800 applications have been received to the end of June of this year, a reflection of the continuing growth in interest levels in a career in the Defence Forces and the wide range of positions currently available and open to prospective candidates. A new rigorous and transparent Applicant Tracking System is in place since January of this year.

Any specific cases or individual issues concerning the recruitment process brought to the attention of the Defence Forces or Department are fully investigated and applicants are informed of the outcome as appropriate.

All elements of the recruitment process remain the subject of ongoing review by my Department and the Defence Forces.