THE Defence Forces Press Office has confirmed that only 1,700 applications have been received in the latest recruitment campaign for the Army and Naval Service compared to more than 8,000 interviewed last time around.
By closing date last Friday, some 400 people had applied to join the Naval Service, competing for a mere 20 places allocated by the Department of Defence.
Normally, the screening process for selected candidates works from a pool of well over 1,000. Of these applicants, some 13 per cent are women.
The Army has also been affected - only 1,313 people had applied by Friday, 18 per cent of them being female.
A new age limit, an increase in the minimum height and the offer of only a five-year contract have been identified by the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (RACO) as the main reasons for the dramatic drop in interest.
The change in age limit for rank recruitment, now 17 to 21 instead of 17 to 27, has reduced the pool at a time of year when many young people have pursued other options. The one-inch increase in minimum height may also militate against female applicants.
The five-year contract was introduced without consulting, the two representative organisations - PDFORRA and RACO - and is perceived within the Defence Forces as a cheap form of recruitment.
During the last intake in 1994, some 8,122 applicants were interviewed for 500 places, 1,431 of which were seeking places in the Naval Service.
The new age restriction prevents former service people from reapplying to join the Defence Forces, according to RACO, and no credit is now given for service with either the FCA or Slua Muiri.
The drop compounds the severe personnel shortages within some areas of the Defence Forces, given that natural wastage is running at more than 250 this year excluding those who opt for voluntary early retirement.
About 85 people are expected to leave the Naval Service this year, at a time when the current fleet of seven ships cannot be kept at sea full-time because of crew shortages and maintenance demands, due to the age of the vessels.
Recruitment of officers and ratings over the last seven years to the Naval Service has not matched wastage, according to RACO.
The last "good" year for intake was 1990, when 134 joined and 45 left. The following year, there were no new recruits or cadets, and 34 left. By 1996, an intake of .25 has been well offset by the loss of 85, affecting morale within the service.
Ship age currently ranges from 12 to 24 years, and no plans have been made to replace the first ship to reach its 30-year age-limit - the LE Deirdre, which effected one of the two Japanese arrests last August. It will be 30 years old in 2002.
