The lack of medical professionals qualified to conduct health checks is reportedly hampering progress to revive the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF), at present functioning at only a third of its desired capacity. According to the 2022 Commission on the Defence Forces report, key proposals included reinstating the Reserves, which encompasses the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. The creation of an Air Force Reserve and a significant increase in the size of the Naval Service Reserve were also suggested.
Despite boasting about 1,411 operational reservists that make up about 34% of its total strength of 4,069, the RDF struggles to attract and sustain new members due to the extensive wait times for medical screenings. Even though recruitment events for the RDF usually see over a thousand applications, many potential reservists lose interest during the prolonged waiting period, sometimes extending to years, as conveyed by the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (RDFRA).
Desired levels of recruitment were not achieved even after implementing revitalisation measures, with only 89 inductions in the 13 months that started from January 2023. During this same period, 129 individuals left the RDF. The existing policy expects reservists to undergo a minimum of seven days of paid training and 48 unpaid hours per year, but no penalties are levied for non-compliance.
To become qualified, all applicants need to clear an interview, fitness test, and security clearance, followed by a medical examination. As per Neil Richardson, RDFRA’s general secretary, all stages except for the health check are usually cleared promptly.
He explains that the medical wing of the Defence Forces lacks the necessary resources to carry out health checks for reservists in addition to meeting the demands of screening and treating full-time military personnel. He observes that in the recent years this shortage has led to a considerable number of RDF hopefuls who passed the other stages but had their application stalled at the medical examination stage.
The capacity of the Medical Corps of the Defence Forces to conduct medical examinations for a substantial number of Reserve Defence Force (RDF) applicants on a weekly basis is somewhat limited. This results in a backlog that can span several months, and in some cases, even years, for applicants to get their medical checks done by the Defence Forces. As a consequence, many applicants lose their enthusiasm, drift apart, and subsequently drop out of the application process, thus shrinking the initial hundreds of initials applications to a handful remaining to be officially inducted.
Further potential improvements in the induction procedure is making Mr Richardson remain understandably hopeful. According to a spokesperson for the Defence Forces, 427 applications for the RDF are presently underway. He confirmed that there are 145 applicants in the process of medical screening, with an additional 100 slated for March and April.
Earlier this month, Micheál Martin, the Minister for Defence, addressed the Dáil, expounding on several strategies being implemented to expedite the medical screening of potential recruits. He stated that a deal has been struck with a private medical institution to conduct yearly induction screenings for 600 RDF applicants for a span of four years. It is also under consideration to allow the applicants’ personal GPs to administer preliminary screenings as they wait for a comprehensive medical exam from the Defence Forces.
Mr Martin said the aim of the Reserve Defence Force is to develop a reserve force that can integrate smoothly and be able to train, function, and serve both domestically and internationally with the Permanent Defence Force.