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==History==
==History==
===Beginning of the Irish Army===
===Beginning of the Defence Forces===
The Irish Defence Forces trace their origins to the [[Irish Volunteers]] founded in 1913. The Defence Forces official title, [[Óglaigh na hÉireann]], is taken from the official [[Irish language]] title of the Irish Volunteers. The Defence Forces cap-badge, and the buttons that are worn on Service Dress no.1 uniforms are also from the Irish Volunteers.<ref name="The Defence Forces" /> The Defence Forces buttons still have the letters I V (Irish Volunteers) on them. Volunteers led by [[Patrick Pearse]], took part in the 1916 [[Easter Rising]].
The Irish Defence Forces trace their origins to the [[Irish Volunteers]] founded in 1913. The Defence Forces official title, [[Óglaigh na hÉireann]], is taken from the official [[Irish language]] title of the Irish Volunteers. The Defence Forces cap-badge, and the buttons that are worn on Service Dress no.1 uniforms are also from the Irish Volunteers.<ref name="The Defence Forces" /> The Defence Forces buttons still have the letters I V (Irish Volunteers) on them. Volunteers led by [[Patrick Pearse]], took part in the 1916 [[Easter Rising]].


Revision as of 15:58, 10 September 2010

Irish Defence Forces
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Founded1 October 1924
Service branchesArmy

Naval Service

Air Corps

Army Reserve

Naval Service Reserve
HeadquartersDublin
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefPresident Mary McAleese
Minister for DefenceTony Killeen
Chief of DefenceMajor General Sean McCann[1]
Personnel
Military age17-24 (27 Naval Service)
Available for
military service		1,031,985 males, age 15–49 (2010 est.[4]),
1,030,606 females, age 15–49 (2010 est.[4])
Fit for
military service		858,317 males, age 15–49 (2010 est.[4]),
855,125 females, age 15–49 (2010 est.[4])
Reaching military
age annually		(2010 est.[4])
Active personnel9,981[2]
Reserve personnel12,348[3]
Expenditure
BudgetFY 2008 - ranked 59th
Eurp €1.27 billion (FY00/08)
Percent of GDP0.7% (FY00/07)

The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces (Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann[5]) encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.

The President of Ireland is the formal Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, but in practice it answers to the Irish Government via the Minister for Defence. The Minister for Defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the Department of Defence.[6]

Organisation

The Defence Forces consist of a Permanent Defence Force (PDF) which is a standing force and provides the main capability for military operations, and a Reserve Defence Force (RDF)[7] which provides the military capability to back up the PDF, when necessary. The RDF is consist of the First Line Reserve and a Second Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve comprises former members of the Permanent Defence Force and the Second Line Reserve comprises an Army Reserve and a Naval Service Reserve.[6]

The Defence Forces are organised into three service branches:

Role

Ireland's favourable geographical location, on the north-west border of the European Union, makes any external threat or future invasion unlikely. The state has a long-standing policy of non-belligerence in armed conflicts that included neutrality in World War II. For these reasons, the Republic's military capabilities are relatively modest. However, the state has a long history of involvement in United Nations Peacekeeping operations. Functions of the Defence Forces include:

  • Preparation for the defence of the state against armed attack.
  • Assisting the Garda Síochána (police force), including the protection of the internal security of the state.
  • Peace-keeping, 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.
File:Óglaigh na hÉireann.jpg
Óglaigh na hÉireann - An Irish officer's cap badge.

History

Beginning of the Defence Forces

The Irish Defence Forces trace their origins to the Irish Volunteers founded in 1913. The Defence Forces official title, Óglaigh na hÉireann, is taken from the official Irish language title of the Irish Volunteers. The Defence Forces cap-badge, and the buttons that are worn on Service Dress no.1 uniforms are also from the Irish Volunteers.[6] The Defence Forces buttons still have the letters I V (Irish Volunteers) on them. Volunteers led by Patrick Pearse, took part in the 1916 Easter Rising.

After the rising the Volunteers gave allegiance to the First Dáil. At this time the Volunteers became known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA).[6] The IRA waged a guerrilla campaign against British rule in Ireland between 1919 and 1921.

The Volunteers later became known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA), [6] the guerilla organisation that fought the Irish War of Independence. In February 1922, the Provisional Government began to recruit volunteers into the new "National Army".[8]

A Truce brought hostilities to an end on 11 July 1921 and the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December. The Provisional Government was then constituted on 14 January 1922. The Provisional Government was set up on 16 January 1922 to transfer power from the British regime to the Irish Free State. Many IRA men who fought in the War of Independence were dissatisfied with the Treaty and both Civil War or reoccupation by the British were possible.[6] On 31 January 1922, the first unit of the new Irish National Army, a former IRA unit the Dublin Guard took over Beggars Bush Barracks - the first British barracks to be handed to the new Irish Free State.[9] Michael Collins envisaged the new Army being built around the IRA but over half of this organisation rejected the compromise of the Treaty in favour of upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic of 1919-1921. So from January 1922 until late June and the outbreak of the Irish Civil War, there existed two antagonistic armed forces - the National Army, built from a nucleus of Pro-Treaty IRA units - armed and paid by the Provisional Government, and the Anti-Treaty IRA, who refused to accept the legitimacy of the new state. In February 1922, the Provisional Government began to recruit volunteers into the new Irish National Army. The Irish Civil War began on the 28 June 1922 between the Republican Anti-treaty IRA and the newly-recruited pro-treaty National Army. So from January 1922 until late June and the outbreak of the Irish Civil War, there existed two antagonistic armed forces - the National Army, built from a nucleus of Pro-Treaty IRA units - armed and paid by the Provisional Government, and the Anti-Treaty IRA, who refused to accept the legitimacy of the new state.

Civil War period

The Irish Civil War broke out on June 28, 1922. The Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin party, in power in the Provisional Government, had won an election, legitimising its existence, in June. The British were applying increasing pressure on the Government to assert its control over the Anti-Treaty IRA who had occupied the Four Courts in Dublin and this garrison had kidnapped JJ O'Connell, a General in the National Army.

In the early weeks of the Irish Civil War, the newly formed National Army, was mainly composed of pro-Treaty IRA units, especially the "Dublin Guard", whose members had personal ties to Michael Collins.

Its size was estimated at about 7,000 men. However, the Free State soon recruited far more troops, the army's size mushrooming to 55,000 men and 3,500 officers by the end of the Civil War in May 1923. Many of its recruits were war-hardened Irishmen who had served in the former regiments of the British Army during the First World War. W.R.E. Murphy, a second in command of the Army in the civil war (from January-May 1923) had been a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, as had Emmet Dalton. Indeed, the Free State recruited experienced soldiers from wherever it could. Two more of its senior generals in the Civil War had served in the United States Army - John T. Prout and J.J. "Ginger" O'Connell.

The British government supplied the new army with uniforms, small arms, ammunition, artillery and armoured units, which enabled it to bring the Civil War to a relatively speedy conclusion. Dublin was taken from Anti Treaty IRA units (or "Irregulars") after a week and a half of street fighting in July 1922. The Anti-Treaty IRA were also dislodged from Limerick and Waterford in that month and Cork and county Kerry were secured after seaborne landings in August.

The remainder of the war was a counter-insurgency campaign against Anti-Treaty guerrillas - concentrated particularly in the south and west. National Army units, especially the Dublin Guard, were implicated in a series of multiple atrocities against captured Anti-Treaty fighters. The National Army suffered about 800 fatalities in the Civil War, including its commander in chief, Michael Collins. Collins was succeeded by Richard Mulcahy.

In April 1923, the Anti-Treaty IRA called a ceasefire and the Civil War ended on 24 May 1923, Frank Aiken IRA Chief of Staff ordered IRA volunteers to "dump arms" and the new Irish Free State slipped into an uneasy peace.[6]

After the Civil War

Óglaigh na hÉireann recruitment poster

Following the Irish Civil War, the National Army had grown too big for a peacetime role and was too expensive for the new Irish state to maintain. In addition, many of the civil war recruits were badly trained and undisciplined -making them unsuitable material for a full time professional army.

Richard Mulcahy, the new Irish Defence Minister, had to reduce the army to about 20,000 men in the immediate post Civil War period. This nearly provoked a mutiny among National Army officers in 1923-24, particularly among former IRA officers, who perceived that former British Army officers were treated better than them.[10]

The Establishment of The Defence Forces

On 3 August 1923, the new State passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act. This Act formally raised "an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann (hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas."[11][6][12][13] The date of the establishment of the Forces was 1 October 1924.[6][12][13]

The Force had a new establishment, organisation, rank markings, head dress and orders of dress.[14][13] The National Army's Air Service became the Air Corps and remained part of the Army unit the 1990s. An all Irish language speaking unit was created - An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe (English: The First Infantry Battalion) was established in Galway, and functioned exclusively through the medium of the state's first official language.[15]

The Emergency Period

Ireland remained neutral for the Second World War, which was referred to as "The Emergency" by the Irish government.

However despite the Irish neutral stance the Defence Forces greatly expanded during the war. In fact the Army grew from about 10,000 men up to about 40,000 by the end of the war (with more recruited to reserve forces). By early 1941, this comprised an all-volunteer force of two infantry divisions and two independent brigade, as well as coastal artillery and garrison units. This expansion was enforced in order to ward off potential invasions from either the Allied or Axis powers (Both of whom had actually drawn up contingency plans to invade Ireland).[citation needed]

In 1939, the remnants of the IRA stole a large quantity of the Army's reserve ammunition from its dump at the Magazine Fort in Dublin's Phoenix Park. While this was seen as an embarrassment for the Army, most of it was recovered.

Moreover, as the War went on, more and newer equipment was purchased from Britain and the United States. For the duration of the war, Ireland, while formally neutral, tacitly supported the Allies in several ways[citation needed]. German military personnel were interned in the Curragh along with the belligerent powers' servicemen, whereas Allied airmen and sailors who crashed in Ireland were very often repatriated, usually by secretly moving them across the border to Northern Ireland[citation needed].

G2, the Army's intelligence section, played a vital role in the detection and arrest of German spies, such as Hermann Görtz. From 1942 G2 was headed by Colonel Dan Bryan[citation needed].

Peacekeeping Missions

Since joining the United Nations in 1955, the Defence Forces have been deployed on many peacekeeping missions. The first of these missions took place in 1958, when a small number of observers were sent to Lebanon. A total of 86 Irish soldiers have died in the service of the United Nations since 1960.

Irish ONUC troops (36 Bn) man a position over the Elizabeth road tunnel during the Congo Crisis, December 1961.
(Image: Irish Defence Forces)

Congo

The first major overseas deployment came in 1960, when Irish troops were sent to the Congo as part of the UN force ONUC. The Belgian Congo became an independent Republic on 30 June 1960. Twelve days later, the Congolese government requested military assistance from the United Nations to maintain its territorial integrity. On the 28th July 1960 Lt-Col Murt Buckley led the 32nd Irish Battalion to the newly independent central African country. This was the most costly enterprise for the Irish Army since the Irish Civil War, as 26 Irish soldiers lost their lives (9 died in one action, the Niemba ambush). One of the largest engagements Irish troops were involved in was the Siege of Jadotville, in which a small party of 150 Irish soldiers was attacked by a much larger force of almost 4,000 Katangese troops, as well as French, Belgian and Rhodesian mercenaries. The Irish fought back ferociously until their ammunition ran out, between 5 and 7 Irish troops were wounded in the 6 days of fighting, without any fatalities. It is estimated that almost 1,000 casualties were inflicted on their attackers.[citation needed] A total of 6,000 Irishmen served in the Congo from 1960 until 1964. A "Niemba Ambush commemoration" is hosted annually by the Irish Veterans Organisation the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen & Women (ONET) in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin, on the nearest Saturday to the actual date of the ambush in the Congo.

Cyprus and the Sinai

Starting in 1964, Irish troops have served as UN peacekeepers in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Over 9,000 Irish personnel have served there to date, without suffering casualties.

In 1973, an infantry group and some logistical troops were pulled out of Cyprus at short notice to serve in the Sinai desert between Egypt and Israel as part of the UN force that supervised the ceasefire that ended the Yom Kippur War.

From 1976 to 1981, UNFICYP was commanded by an Irish officer, Major-General James Quinn.

Lebanon

From 1978 to 2001, a battalion of Irish troops was deployed in southern Lebanon, as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL. The Irish battalion consisted of 580 personnel which were rotated every six months, plus almost 100 others in UNIFIL headquarters and the Force Mobile Reserve. In all, 30,000 Irish soldiers served in Lebanon over 23 years.

The Irish troops in Lebanon were initially intended to supervise the withdrawal of the Israeli Defence Forces from the area after an invasion in 1978 and to prevent fighting between the Palestine Liberation Organization forces and those of Israel. Another Israeli invasion in 1982 forced the PLO out of southern Lebanon, and occupied the area. The following 18 years, up until 2000 saw prolonged guerrilla warfare between Israeli forces, their allies in the South Lebanon Army and Hezbollah. The Irish battalion, caught in the middle of the conflict, lost 47 soldiers killed and more wounded in the mission. Their role consisted of manning checkpoints and observations posts and mounting patrols. In addition to peacekeeping the Irish also provided humanitarian aid to the local population - for example aiding the orphanage at Tibnin. From 25 April 1995 to 9 May 1996, Brigadier General P. Redmond served as Deputy Force Commander of UNIFIL - a period that coincided with the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath offensive in 1996.

Most of the Irish force was withdrawn from the area in 2001, following the Israeli evacuation of their forces the previous year. However 11 Irish troops remained there as observers. They were present during the 2006 Lebanon War. After this conflict UNIFIL was reinforced and a mechanised infantry company of 165 Irish troops was deployed to southern Lebanon Their role there was to protect a Finnish Army engineering unit. After 12 months, the 1st Finnish/Irish Battalion ceased operations and was stood down from duty after having completed its mandate with UNIFIL. A small number of Irish personnel remain in service at UNIFIL HQ in Southern Lebanon.[16]

Iran and Iraq

From August 1988 until May 1991, Irish soldiers were deployed, under the UN force UNIIMOG, on the border between Iraq and Iran to supervise the withdrawal of both side's troops back to within their respective borders after the end of the Iran–Iraq War. The Irish provided 177 of the 400 UNIIMOG personnel involved with the mission. The mission came to an end in 1991, when Iran and Iraq completed the withdrawal of their troops. A small number of Irish observers were also stationed in Kuwait since from 1991 to 2002 as part of UNIKOM.[17]

Somalia and Eritrea

In 1993, 100 troops forming a transport company were deployed in Somalia, as part of UNOSOM II peace-enforcing mission. In December 2001, 221 Irish soldiers were also sent to Eritrea as part of UNMEE, and were tasked with the defence of the UN headquarters there.

Bosnia and Kosovo

In 1997 a military police unit and some other troops were deployed to Bosnia as part of SFOR (1995–2005) and EUFOR (December 2005 to present). The MP company was based in SFOR HQ in Sarajevo and policed the 8,000 SFOR troops based in the area. From 1999 until 2010, a Company of Irish troops were stationed in Kosovo as part of KFOR.

East Timor

In 1999, Irish Officers were sent to East Timor as part of the UNAMET observer group (Timorese Independence Refurendum). Later in the year, a platoon of Rangers (1 Ircon) were sent as part of the INTERFET peacekeeping force. The Irish Army Rangers (the Army's special forces unit) were deployed in East Timor alongside the Australian SASR for a 4 month tour. This marked the second time that the Irish Army's elite force were officially deployed operationally outside of the state, the first being to Somalia in 1993.[citation needed] INTERFET handed over to UNTAET during 2 Ircon's tour in 2000. The third contingent to Timor (3 Ircon) marked a new departure for the Defence Forces, as all the infantry sections were drawn from the 2nd Infantry Battalion. Late 2000 saw the 12th Infantry supply 4 Ircon. Nine contingents in total were deployed including the 4 Infantry Battalion, 5 Infantry Battalion, 28 Infantry Battalion, 1 Cathlan Coisithe, and finally the 6 Infantry Battalion under UNMISET.

Liberia

After November 2003, Irish troops were stationed in Liberia as part of UNMIL. The Liberian mission was the largest Irish overseas deployment since Lebanon and consisted of a single composite battalion. The UN force, UNMIL, was 15,000 strong and was charged with stabilising the country after the Liberian Civil War. The Irish troops were based in Camp Clara, near Monrovia and were tasked with acting as the Force Commander's "Quick Reaction Force" (QRF) in the Monrovia area. This meant the securing of key locations, conducting searches for illegally held weapons, patrolling and manning checkpoints on the main roads and providing security to civilians under threat of violence. The Irish deployment to Liberia was due to end in November 2006. However, at that time the deployment was extended for a further 6 months to May 2007.[18] In all the following battalions were involved in 2745 cumulative missions under UNMIL:[19]

  • 90th Infantry Battalion (4 Western Brigade) - Nov 03-May 4
  • 91st Infantry Battalion (2 Eastern Brigade) - May 4-Nov 04
  • 92nd Infantry Battalion (1 Southern Brigade) - Nov 04-May 5
  • 93rd Infantry Battalion (4 Western Brigade) - May 5-Nov 05
  • 94th Infantry Battalion (2 Eastern Brigade) - Nov 05-May 6
  • 95th Infantry Battalion (1 Southern Brigade) - May 6-Nov 06
  • 96th Infantry Battalion (4 Western Brigade) - Nov 06-May 7

Chad

In August 2007, the Irish government announced that 200 Irish soldiers would be sent to support the United Nations effort as part of EUFOR Chad/CAR. As of 2008 500 troops had been deployed[20] - 50 of whom were Irish Army Rangers. In announcing the mission, the Minister for Defence recognised the regional nature of the crisis, involving instability in Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic.[21] In accordance with their terms of reference, the deployment of Irish forces was confined to Chad. Ireland contributed the second largest contingent of soldiers to EUFOR Chad/CAR, after France, as part of the mission to establish peace in Chad and to protect refugees from neighbouring Darfur.[22][23] The Irish soldiers conducted operations concerned with the delivery of humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, and ensuring the safety of UN personnel.[24] There were a number of deployments to the mission, rotating every four months, with the final contingent completing their tour in May 2010:[25]

  • 97th Infantry Battalion - June 2008-Oct 2008
  • 98th Infantry Battalion - Oct 2008-Jan 2009
  • 99th Infantry Battalion - Jan 2009-May 2009
  • 100th Infantry Battalion - May 2009-Oct 2009
  • 101st Infantry Battalion - Oct 2009-Jan 2010
  • 102nd Infantry Battalion - Jan 2010-May 2010[26] In addition, the Irish Air Corps contributed two helicopters.

Border duties and aid to the civil power (1969-1998)

At home, the Army has been occasionally deployed to aid the Gardaí (Irish Police) along the border with Northern Ireland during the conflict there known as the Troubles (1969–1998). In the early 1970s, it was suggested that the Irish Army might cross the Border to protect the nationalist community within Northern Ireland. However this was never acted upon, although units were moved to the Border in 1969-70, during the Battle of the Bogside, in order to provide medical support to those wounded in the battle. This was falsely interpreted by many as a preparation to invade.

One Irish soldier was killed in the Troubles. This happened on December 16, 1983, when the PIRA kidnapped a supermarket executive named Don Tidey. He was traced to Ballinamore in County Leitrim and in the subsequent shootout, a trainee Garda and an Irish Army soldier were killed. Recently, the Army has been used to back up the Gardaí in arresting and seizing the assets of smugglers along the border,[citation needed] many of whom have links with Republican paramilitaries.[citation needed]

The Army provides 24 hour armed security at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison and also armed escort for the Prison Service transporting Irelands most dangerous criminals.

A by-product of the Troubles[citation needed] has been the assignment of Irish soldiers to so called "cash in transit" patrols.[citation needed] Large shipments of cash within the Republic are provided with armed military escorts. The purpose is not a police function per se e.g. to prevent theft by criminal elements but is specifically[citation needed] to pre-empt paramilitaries[citation needed] from obtaining funds for more weapons.[citation needed]

File:Irish Army airborne soldier.jpg
Irish Army Ranger

Army

Main article: Irish Army
File:Irish Scorpion Tank.JPG
An Irish Army Cavalry Corps Scorpion Light Tank during a parade in Dublin

Today approximately 8,500 men and women serve permanently in the Irish Army,[27] with 13,000 more in the Army Reserve. The country is divided into three areas for administrative and operational reasons, and in each area there is an Infantry brigade.

In addition to the Brigades Structure, there is also a Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC), a Logistic Base in the Curragh and a number of special establishments such as the Equitation School, Army Bands, and the Army Ranger Wing. In the case of Corps which support the Infantry, a Corps Director and staff are provided to coordinate the purchase of specialised equipment, the execution of specialised training, etc.

File:M2 on a vehicle.jpg
Members of the Army Ranger Wing in a Ford F350 SRV mounted with a Browning M2 HMG

The three brigade group structure envisages distinct operational areas of responsibility for each of the brigades. The First Brigade has primary responsibility for operational tasks in South, the Second for operational tasks in the East and the Fourth Brigade for operational tasks in the West. Practical operational considerations dictate the requirement to outline operational areas of responsibility. The brigade group structure is based on strengthened combat and combat support elements and streamlined combat service support elements.

The Army has nine specialist Corps, each designated as either combat, combat support or combat service support. These are the Infantry Corps, Artillery Corps, Cavalry Corps, Engineer Corps, Ordnance Corps, Medical Corps, Transport Corps, Military Police Corps, Communication and Information Services Corps.

Irish soldiers are equipped with assault rifles, machine guns, pistols, grenade launchers, hand grenades, and anti-tank weapons. Most weapons used by Irish forces are up to NATO standards, and are purchased from abroad, though Ireland does have a limited arms industry. The Irish Army only has light vehicles, with the primary vehicle being the MOWAG Piranha, equipped with machine guns and autocannons. The Irish Army's only tank is the FV101 Scorpion light tank, equipped with a 76mm low velocity gun and a 7.62mm machine gun. The Irish Army's only artillery capabilities consist of 24 105mm L118 Light Guns, 81mm mortars, Denel 60mm mortars, 71 Brandt 120mm mortars.

Air Corps

File:Irish ab139a.jpg
Irish Air Corps AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter
Irish Air Corps PC-9Ms
Main article: Irish Air Corps

At present the Irish Air Corps is unable to fulfill the role of an air force in defending Irish airspace. This has been removed from its remit as has SAR (search and rescue) which is carried out by An Garda Cósta na hÉireann (Irish Coast Guard) using Sikorsky helicopters. This effort is part of the Department Of Transport. However the Air Corps fulfills many other important roles required by the State. The Air Corps HQ is at Casement (Baldonnel) Aerodrome. The Air Corps is the smallest of the branches of the Defence Forces with approximately 939 personnel.

The primary roles of the Air Corps are now defined as:

  1. In support of the Army
  2. In support of the Naval Service
  3. In aid to the Civil Power

There are two secondary roles:

  1. Aid to Civil Community
  2. Aid to Government departments

The Air Corps' two CASA CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft[28] are equipped with state of the art detection systems and assist the Naval Service in policing Irish territorial waters. These aircraft are also used for HALO (High-Altitude, Low-Opening) parachuting by the elite Army Ranger Wing. In addition, the Irish Air Corps has 6 AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter gunships with air-to-ground firing capabilities, 7 Pilatus PC-9 turboprop aircraft equipped with rocket pods and machine guns, 2 Eurocopter EC135 medical evacuation and army support helicopters, 3 Orbiter Miniature UAVs, and a number of auxiliary aircraft.

The Air Corps has been instrumental in many of the successful interceptions at sea.

Main article: Irish Naval Service
Irish Naval Service vessel LÉ Eithne

The Naval Service maintains a complement of about 1,144 personnel, and is tasked with policing Irish territorial waters as well as the Irish Conservation Box - a large area of sea in which fishing is restricted in order to preserve numbers. The Naval Service is tasked with enforcing this EU protected area and thus serves the EU as well as Ireland.[29]

The Naval Service, together with the Air Corps and Coast Guard, have intercepted a number of vessels carrying narcotics to and from Ireland.[citation needed]

The Navy has eight offshore patrol vessels which are operated in support of the service's main roles, inflatable sea going craft, and training vessels. The Naval Service maintains highly trained armed boarding parties that can seize a vessel if necessary, and a special unit of frogmen called the Naval Service Diving Section. While the Naval Service does not have any heavy warships, all of the naval vessels have enough firepower to enforce their policing roles.

The primary role is defined as "National Security", with secondary roles which include:[29]

  1. Fishery Protection
  2. Aid to the Civil Power
  3. Drug Interdiction
  4. Maritime Safety
  5. Diving Operations
  6. Pollution Control
  7. Overseas Mission Support

Distinguished from the Irish Coast Guard

The Naval Service should be distinguished from the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) (Irish: Garda Cósta na hÉireann), which is a civilian search-and-rescue Maritime Safety and pollution control agency, without military powers and enforcement powers restricted for the time being to some full time officers with warrants. The IRCG is a division of the Department of Transport.

Representative Associations

The interests of members of the Defence Forces are represented by a number of representative associations similar to trade unions.

Commissioned Officers of the Permanent Defence Forces are represented by RACO [30]

Rank-and-file members of the Permanent Defence Forces are represented by the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA). PDFORRA is affiliated to the Irish Conference of Professional and Service Associations (ICPSA) and to the European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL). In 2009, members of PDFORRA took part in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) protest against the government's handling of the 2008–09 financial crisis. The Department of Defence warned that Defence Forces members could not take part in or sponsor any "public agitation", and that PDFORRA had "no express permission" for members to take part in the protests.[31]

All ranks of the Reserve Defence Forces are represented by RDFRA [32] although in practice it mainly represents officers interests.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ RTE News - Lt Gen Dermot Earley retires - 9 June 2010
  2. ^ Irish Times - Numbers in Defence Forces hit 40-year low - November 25, 2009
  3. ^ Military.ie - RDF Homepage - Establishment
  4. ^ CIA World Factbook - Ireland
  5. ^ This Irish-language name is not a literal translaton, and derives its origins from the Irish Volunteers. A literal translation of Defence Forces of Ireland that is attested in some Irish-language literature is Fórsaí Cosanta na hÉireann.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Defence Forces
  7. ^ http://www.military.ie/dfhq/overview/organisation/org.htm
  8. ^ Defence Forces (Ireland)
  9. ^ Beggars Bush (Dublin)
  10. ^ Notes on the background of the 1924 "mutiny" by Garret Fitzgerald, 2003
  11. ^ DEFENCE FORCES (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) ACT, 1923
  12. ^ a b http://www.military.ie/dfhq/pubrel/publications/DFHistory.pdf
  13. ^ a b c http://www.defence.ie/website.nsf/document+id/26086C722DF0255B802570B6003785D0
  14. ^ Donal MacCarron, The Irish Defence Forces, Osprey 2004
  15. ^ http://www.coimisineir.ie/downloads/Sceim_Oglaigh_na_hEireann_Dracht_Deiridh.pdf
  16. ^ Military.ie - Overseas Operations - United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
  17. ^ Military.ie - Overseas Operations - United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission
  18. ^ Department of Defence - Press Release Cabinet approval for continued deployment of troops serving in Liberia
  19. ^ Military.ie - Overseas Operations - UNMIL
  20. ^ "Christmas peace makers". Irish Independent. December 22, 2008.
  21. ^ Press release (20 November 2007). "Minister for Defence, Willie O'Dea secures Cabinet approval for Chad mission". Department of Defence. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  22. ^ "EU Military Operation in Eastern Chad and North Eastern Central African Republic (EUFOR Tchad/RCA)" (PDF). consilium.europa.eu. March 2009. p. 1. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  23. ^ RTÉ News - 50 Irish troops arrive in Chad - 21 February 2008
  24. ^ "New peace mission on cards". Irish Independent. November 20, 2008.
  25. ^ Irish Examiner - Irish troops begin return from Chad - May 19 2010
  26. ^ Irish Independent - Irish troops returning from Chad - May 19 2010
  27. ^ Military.ie - Army homepage
  28. ^ The two maritime patrol aircraft are CASA CN-235; see the table at Irish Air Corps#Aircraft for more information.
  29. ^ a b Military.ie (official IDF website) Naval Service Roles
  30. ^ http://www.raco.ie/
  31. ^ "Talks under way to avert strikes". The Sunday Business Post. 2009-02-22. Retrieved 2009-02-23. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  32. ^ http://www.rdfra.ie/Structure/Scope.shtml
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