Defence Forces (Ireland)
Defence Forces | |
---|---|
Fórsaí Cosanta Óglaigh na hÉireann | |
Founded | 1 October 1924 |
Service branches | |
Headquarters | DFHQ McKee Barracks, Dublin |
Website | Official website |
Leadership | |
Supreme Commander | Michael D. Higgins |
Minister for Defence | Micheál Martin |
Chief of Staff | Lieutenant general Seán Clancy (AC) |
Personnel | |
Military age | 18–29 (as of 2024)[1] |
Conscription | No |
Active personnel | 7,550 (Establishment: 9,589) (31 December 2023)[2] |
Reserve personnel | 1,706 (Establishment: 4,069) (May 2023)[3] |
Deployed personnel | 530 troops, 17 missions (as of January 2024), including:[4] |
Expenditures | |
Budget | €1.23bn (2024)[5] |
Percent of GDP | 0.23% (2022)[6] |
Related articles | |
Ranks | Military ranks of Ireland |
The Defence Forces (Irish: Fórsaí Cosanta,[7] officially styled Óglaigh na hÉireann)[8][9][Note 1] are the armed forces of Ireland. They encompass the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, and Reserve Defence Forces.
The Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces is the President of Ireland.[10] All Defence Forces officers hold their commission from the President, but in practice, the Minister for Defence acts on the President's behalf and reports to the Government of Ireland. The Minister for Defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the Department of Defence.[11]
As of May 2023, there were 7,764 permanent personnel in the Defence Forces out of an established strength of 9,500,[12] a decrease from September 2020 when there were 8,529 personnel, comprising 6,878 Army, 752 Air Corps and 899 Naval Service personnel.[13] There were also 1,706 personnel in the Reserve Defence Force out of an established strength of 4,069.[3]
Role
The Irish state has a long-standing policy of
- Preparation for the defence of the state against armed attack.
- Assisting the police force, the Garda Síochána, including the protection of the internal security of the state.
- Peacekeeping, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United Nations.
- Policing the fisheries, in accordance with the state's obligations under European Union agreements.
- Miscellaneous civil contingency duties requested by the government such as search and rescue, air ambulance provision, providing secure air transport for ministers, assistance in the event of natural and other disasters, ensuring the maintenance of essential services, and assisting in dealing with oil pollution at sea.[14]
History
The Defence Forces trace their origins to the Irish Volunteers, founded in 1913. Their official Irish-language title, Óglaigh na hÉireann, is taken from the equivalent Irish-language title of the Irish Volunteers, as are their cap badge and the buttons worn on ceremonial uniforms (the buttons are still marked with the initials "IV").[15]
The Irish Volunteers were central to the
A
On 3 August 1923 the new state passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, raising "an armed force to be called Oglaigh na hEireann [
The state was officially neutral during
In September 1946, the Naval Service was established as Ireland's maritime force and as a permanent component of the Defence Forces.
Ireland became a member of the
During the Troubles, the period of civil conflict centred on Northern Ireland from 1969 to 1998, the Defence Forces deployed to aid the Garda Síochána. Troops were deployed for duty to the border areas, new border military posts were established, and in 1973 new permanent border units were established.[citation needed] In 1974, troops were deployed to maximum-security prisons in Portlaoise and Limerick where IRA prisoners were detained. Armed troops were deployed in 1976 to all major post offices during a three-month national bank strike.[citation needed] In 1978, cash-in-transit escorts were established to protect large cash movements throughout the state, continuing until 2014. Tasks in military aid to the civil power continue today, but no longer to the same degree or intensity.[citation needed]
Funding and development
In 2020, the Irish defence budget was €1.04bn. This included €780m on defence and €259m on army pensions.[20] Department of Defence spending was 0.27% of GDP in 2020 and 0.29% in 2019.[21]
In 2022, the defence sector budget was €1.1bn and in July of that year the Irish government announced plans to increase this to €1.5bn by 2028. As part of the plans to move to "Level of Action 2", as of 2022, the number of civil and military personnel was set to be increased from 9,500 to 11,500. Planning also began for improvements in radar capabilities.[22] The Defence Forces specified the procurement of an integrated radar system for land, sea and air function and that the Army's structures and capabilities would be redesigned to meet "international best practice". The plan also proposed the establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs to design a Reserve Defence Forces "regeneration plan".[23]
The projected budget for 2024 was €1.23bn, including an extra €21m over previous expenditure and €34m in capital expenditure on top of the original capital ceiling of the National Development Plan.[24] This also included budget for an additional 400 enlisted personnel during 2024.[25]
Defence Expenditure 1999-2019 as a % of GDP[26] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Defence expenditure €m | Gross Domestic Product €m | Expenditure as % of GDP |
1999 | 760 | 92,669 | 0.82% |
2000 | 820 | 108,400 | 0.76% |
2001 | 731 | 122,010 | 0.60% |
2002 | 725 | 135,956 | 0.53% |
2003 | 711 | 145,534 | 0.49% |
2004 | 733 | 156,189 | 0.47% |
2005 | 759 | 170,231 | 0.45% |
2006 | 772 | 184,914 | 0.42% |
2007 | 817 | 197,130 | 0.41% |
2008 | 880 | 187,620 | 0.47% |
2009 | 804 | 169,786 | 0.47% |
2010 | 744 | 167,674 | 0.44% |
2011 | 704 | 170,951 | 0.41% |
2012 | 657 | 175,104 | 0.38% |
2013 | 667 | 179,616 | 0.37% |
2014 | 673 | 195,148 | 0.34% |
2015 | 671 | 262,853 | 0.26% |
2016 | 671 | 270,809 | 0.25% |
2017 | 681 | 300,387 | 0.23% |
2018 | 701 | 326,986 | 0.21% |
2019 | 756 | 356,051 | 0.21% |
2020 | 781 |
Organisation
The Defence Forces are organised under the
In January 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces recommended the establishment of an 'Information Command', under the command of a general, to handle cyberattacks and misinformation.[30]
Army
As of mid-2016, the Army had approximately 7,300 active personnel,[31] with 1,351 personnel in the Army Reserve.[3] Up to late 2012 the army had three brigades: 1 Southern, 2 Eastern and 4 Western; in 2012, 4 Western Brigade stood down at its HQ Custume Barracks, Athlone. The state is now divided into two Brigade areas for administrative and operational reasons, with the former 4 Western Brigade split between the other two brigades. In addition to the brigade structure, there is also the Defence Forces Training Centre, a logistics base in the Curragh.
The two-brigade structure envisages distinct operational areas of responsibility for each of the brigades. The 1st Brigade has primary responsibility for operational tasks in the southern region, while the 2nd Brigade leads on operational tasks in the eastern and western regions. Practical operational considerations dictate the requirement to outline operational areas of responsibility. The brigade structure is based on strengthened combat and combat-support elements, together with streamlined combat-service-support elements.
The Army has nine specialist
Irish infantry are equipped with
The Army Ranger Wing (ARW) are the special forces of Ireland. They are based at the Curragh.
Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces. Its HQ is at Casement (Baldonnel) Aerodrome. The Air Corps is the smallest of the branches of the Defence Forces, with approximately 939 personnel, and its primary roles are defined as:
- Support of the Army
- Support of the Naval Service
- Aid to the civil power
There are two secondary roles:
- Aid to the civil community
- Aid to government departments
The Air Corps is tasked with the traditional air force role of defending Irish airspace; however, its practical capability to do so is severely limited and it has no aerial
The Air Corps' two
The Air Corps conducted over 130 maritime surveillance patrol flights in 2019, and provided medical support to the HSE for patients by conducting over 233 Emergency Aeromedical Service missions and 32 inter-hospital air ambulance transfers.[33]
The Naval Service maintains a complement of about 1,144 active personnel and 79 reserve personnel
The Naval Service has six patrol vessels (2xP50, 4xP60) which are operated in support of the service's primary roles, inflatable seagoing craft, and training vessels. It maintains highly-trained armed
The primary role is defined as "National Security", with secondary roles which include:[34]
- Fishery protection
- Aid to the civil power
- Drug interdiction
- Maritime safety
- Diving operations
- Pollution control
- Overseas mission support
Reserve Defence Forces
The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) in its current form was established in October 2005 and comprises the First Line Reserve, Army Reserve (AR) and Naval Service Reserve (NSR). The RDF is a part-time, voluntary component of the Defence Forces in peacetime, supporting the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) in its domestic roles and training alongside its professional full-time colleagues as part of the "Single Force Concept" whereby RDF units are integrated with their PDF counterparts, coming under the one command. As of mid-2023, there were 1,706 reservists out of an established strength of 4,096, with 276 in the First Line Reserve, 1,351 in the Army Reserve, and 76 in the Naval Service Reserve.[3]
Representative associations
The interests of members of the Defence Forces are represented by a number of representative associations, similar to
Complaints concerning and made by serving and former members of the Defence Forces can be investigated by the independent Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (ODF), in cases where internal grievance procedures within the DF have been exhausted.[39]
Bases
The Defence Forces operate a number of military bases:
See also
- Military awards and decorations of Ireland
- Politics of the Republic of Ireland
- Ireland–NATO relations
- History of Ireland
- Irish security forces
- Irish Veterans
- List of countries by military expenditures
- Irish Army deafness claims – a series of 17,000 personal injury claims taken by members of the Irish Defence Forces.
- Defence Force
- List of wars involving the Republic of Ireland
Notes
- ^ Óglaigh na hÉireann derives its origins from the Irish Volunteers. Whilst the Irish for Defence Forces is Fórsaí Cosanta, as Ó Cearúil (1999) points out, the Defence Forces are officially styled Óglaigh na hÉireann. Fórsaí Cosanta is used in other contexts (e.g. Rialacháin Fhórsaí Cosanta is Defence Force Regulations) as well as having a defined meaning in legislation.
References
- ^ "Irish Defence Forces - Current Recruitment Opportunities". Military.ie. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
Army applicants must be at least 18 years old and under the age of 29 years of age [..] Naval Service applicants must be at least 18 years old and under the age of 29
- ^ "Defence Forces – Tuesday, 23 Jan 2024 – Ceisteanna Parlaiminte (33rd Dáil) – Tithe an Oireachtais".
- ^ a b c d e "Defence Forces Reserve Strength - Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023 - Written Answers (Question to Defence)". Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Hansard). 20 June 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
The strength of the Reserve Defence Force, as of 31 May 2023, is [..] Army Reserve .. 1,351 [..] Naval Service Reserve .. 79 [..] First Line Reserve .. 276.
- ^ "Defence Forces – Tuesday, 23 Jan 2024 – Parliamentary Questions (33rd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas".
- ^ O'Connor, Niall (10 October 2023). "National Security: Garda overtime increase, 1,000 extra gardaí and €21m more in Defence budget". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "SIPRI Military Expenditure Database | SIPRI". www.sipri.org. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Defence Forces Act, 1937", Acts of the Oireachtas, archived from the original on 24 December 2013, retrieved 7 November 2013,
...cialluíonn an abairt 'na Fórsaí Cosanta' na Fórsaí agus an Cúltaca. (...the expression 'the Defence Forces' means the Forces and the Reserve.)
- ^ Defence Act, 1954, archived from the original on 29 October 2013, retrieved 26 October 2013,
It shall be lawful for the Government to raise, train, equip, arm, pay and maintain defence forces to be called and known as Óglaigh na hÉireann or (in English) the Defence Forces.
- ^ Micheál Ó Cearúil (1999), Bunreacht na hÉireann: a study of the Irish text (PDF), Dublin: Stationery Office, p. 189, archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016, retrieved 26 October 2013,
'The Defence Forces' are officially styled by the Army itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann in Irish, as against na Fórsaí Cosanta.
- ^ "Official President.ie site - Roles of the President". Áras an Uachtaráin. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ^ "Statute Book - Ministers And Secretaries Act, 1924". Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
the Minister for Defence ... shall be assisted by a Council of Defence
- ^ "Defence Forces Strength - Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday 12 July 2023". Dáil Éireann Hansard. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
The established strength of the Defence Forces is 9,500 personnel and the current strength, as of 31st May 2023, stood at 7,764 personnel.
- ^ "Defence Forces Strength – Tuesday, 17 Nov 2020 – Parliamentary Questions (33rd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ "What We Do". military.ie. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
- ASIN B00AEH38JE. Archived(PDF) from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Defence Forces History: History of the Army". Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ "Number 30/1923: DEFENCE FORCES (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) ACT, 1923". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ^ a b Fanning, R., 1983, Independent Ireland, Dublin: Helicon, Ltd.., pp 124–25
- ^ English, Eoin. "Memorial honours Irish soldiers who died on UN duty". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ "Budget 2020 – Thursday, 7 Nov 2019 – Parliamentary Questions (32nd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Houses of the Oireachtas. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised)" (PDF). p. 758.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Defence Forces Chief of Staff welcomes historic increase in Defence budget". www.military.ie. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ O'Connor, Niall (10 October 2023). "National Security: Garda overtime increase, 1,000 extra gardaí and €21m more in Defence budget". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Defence Forces – Tuesday, 23 Jan 2024 – Parliamentary Questions (33rd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Defence Forces Expenditure – Thursday, 25 Feb 2021 – Parliamentary Questions (33rd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Houses of the Oireachtas. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Defence Forces - Info Centre - The General Staff". Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Defence Forces - Info Centre - How we are organised". Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014.
- ^ "Defence Forces - Reserve". Archived from the original on 16 January 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ "State to be advised to establish military cyber command". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Defence Forces Strength (Dáil Éireann Debate - Tuesday, 21 June 2016 - Vol. 914 No. 1)". Dáil Éireann Hansard. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 31 May 2016 [..] was 9,137 personnel, comprising 7,310 Army personnel, 733 Air Corps personnel and 1,094 Naval Service personnel
- CASA CN-235; see the table at Irish Air Corps#Aircraftfor more information.
- ^ a b "Internal Communications Digest December 2019" (PDF). Military.ie. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ * "Department of Defence – Drug Seizures". Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- Juno McEnroe (9 August 2010). "Navy tracking system to crack down on drugs smuggling". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- "Drug Offences". Citizen's Information Board. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ LtCdr Phil Watson. "Website of Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO)". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- The Sunday Business Post. 22 February 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ "Website of Reserve Defence Force Representative Associations". Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ "Role and Function of The Ombudsman". Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.