Defence Forces
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-16
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Helen McEntee (FG), Meath East

In recommending it, the commission was of the view that the creation of the rank of lance corporal would allow earlier rank progression for enlisted personnel with leadership potential and that it would offer unit commanders and senior NCOs the opportunity to assess the leadership ability of junior personnel before further advancement. The rank would also be useful for specialist trades, allowing privates to advance and carry out supervisory functions without the need to complete the full potential NCO course. These are some of the reasons the commission made the recommendation. However, different risks or challenges were identified when the recommendation was evaluated further. After examining the benefits and the opportunities, the evaluation process also considered these risks. While I do not want to pre-empt the outcome, some of the risks considered in this further evaluation included greater rigidity in the Defence Forces as a result of an increasingly hierarchical structure, a lack of differentiation between roles, slower progression through the ranks and lack of ambition or opportunities for advancement. This is all being looked at on both sides at the moment. The review being undertaken by the Defence Forces is under way. It will not be completed until next year. It is at that stage that these decisions will be taken.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:28+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-16