Department of Defence agrees to scrap eyesight test blamed for loss of up to 40% of potential recruits

After several years lobbying, the Department of Defence has finally agreed to scrap an eyesight test anomaly which has been blamed for depleted recruitment in the Naval Service Reserve (NSR).

Under the rules up until now, those joining the part-time NSR were required to have perfect vision.

However, personnel joining the full-time Naval Service didn't have to have the same 20/20 vision.

The Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA) mounted a campaign to get equal treatment on eyesight tests, which has finally been successful.

The RDRFA said that as a result of the higher eyesight test level it was losing up to 40% of potential recruits during every intake process.

Yet, RDFRA pointed out that that personnel could get into the full-time force.

Minister with responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe, promised on April 26 last, when addressing a joint Oireachtas committee on Defence, that the NSR eyesight standards were “currently being changed”.

Nearly a year on that has finally come to fruition.

RDFRA representatives first raised the issue with senior officers in the permanent Defence Forces when they met with in September 2015 with the then Assistant Chief of Staff and the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service.

It is understood that military chiefs were fully supportive of RDFRA's calls to have the eyesight level test lowered.

An RDFRA spokesman said an amendment has now been made to the Administrative Instruction governing eyesight tests and it will apply to the current recruitment and future recruitment drives for the Naval Service Reserve.