Ireland Personnel

Long-term underfunding of the military combined with serious recruitment and retention problems resulted in a crisis in the Defence Forces, calling into question the military’s ability to fulfil the roles required of it (for example, in terms of being able to put vessels to sea). In response, in December 2020 the government established a special Commission on the Defence Forces to make recommendations on the future of the Irish military. The Commission on the Defence Forces published its report on 09 February 2022. The Report by the Commission on the Defence Forces is the most comprehensive review of the DF undertaken in decades. This High Level Action Plan sets out a pathway for modernisation of the Defence Forces over the coming years. This includes an increase in the Defence Budget to 1.5bn per annum by 2028 and to increase the permanent Defence Force establishment from 9,500 to 11,500 by 2030.

In any given calendar year up to 2,000 personnel are either overseas, preparing to deploy or returning from a tour of duty. The White Paper in 2000 specified a strength of 10,500 for the Defence Forces and provided for an additional 250 personnel in training at any one time. The White Paper directed the Chief of Staff to produce a plan to implement the required reduction (from 11,500) and this was achieved. In June 2003, as part of the Government’s measures to reduce public service numbers, the authority to have the additional 250 personnel in training was withdrawn. In July 2003, the Government decided that public service numbers should be reduced by 5,000 over three (3) years. The required reduction for the Defence organisation was 416, with 250 coming from the Defence Forces, 150 from civilians employed with the Defence Forces and 16 civil servants in the Department of Defence. The reductions were fully implemented by the end of 2005.

By 2022 there were recurring themes and specific personnel related issues that were a source of considerable frustration and, in some cases, exasperation. Among the issues were those concerning aspects of career progression, career planning, the lack of a modern organisational perspective on work-life balance, the criteria surrounding pensions and extensions of contractual service, and the lack of flexibility within the current establishment. The sentiment at all levels of the organisation, was of disempowerment and a lack of agency which manifested as an expectation that others are to sort out the issues, allowing the Defence Forces to get on with military operations. This culture can express itself as a strong sense on the part of members of not being appreciated or understood.

Gaps in specialist areas can have a disproportionate impact on operations. This is particularly the case in the air and maritime domains where deployability of aircraft and ships have been curtailed arising from critical shortfalls of personnel from specialist units, especially units that are smaller in nature and, as such, where there is less redundancy. These issues are also to be found in certain specialist areas of the Army where, likewise, specialist units can be vulnerable to gaps in strength.

Irish military remuneration failed to address the most significant expense for most personnel: housing. This matter was less significant years ago when housing was far cheaper and the Defence Forces maintained a stock of housing for enlisted and commissioned ranks. This is not the case any longer. By 2022 it was apparent that the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) was in an extremely weakened state, with many dedicated members of the view that it is being allowed to “die on its feet”. The Report by the Commission on the Defence Forces made a series of recommendations designed to create a reserve force that can seamlessly train, operate and deploy with the PDF, nationally and internationally. This should genuinely operationalise the Single Force Concept. To instigate the necessary organisational culture will require a significant change in mind-set in the Defence Forces at all levels of leadership.

In a democracy military service is NOT the sole preserve of the full-time professional soldier but rather a patriotic duty available to all citizens. This is NOT an argument for the role of a reserve in providing surge capacity, it IS an argument that in a democracy military service is too important to be the sole concern of professionals alone. This argument, that military service is a viable entitlement for citizens, is the correct and appropriate response in a State where the legitimacy of Oglaig na hEireann, is challenged by subversives. It is the duty of all citizens to resist subversion. And the citizen soldier, embedded in the community in many civilian roles, carries the democratic argument into places inaccessible to the career soldier (Forexample: schools, sporting organisations, political parties, cultural organisations, local administration,etc.).

During the height of the troubles the British Army (BA) had deployed forces of up to 30,000 together with police and reservists within NI. At peak the Irish Army could have deployed 5,000 troops in the field, from a total force of 13,009 excluding reserves. It is a fact that the Irish Army was lamentably unprepared for this period and indeed the first reaction of many serving soldiers in 1969 was to retire as they were essentially time serving garrison troops with no inclination for active service.

The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. Unlike many other national armed forces, the Defence Forces has no restrictions with regard to the assignment of men or women to the full range of operational and administrative duties. All promotions and career courses are open to both genders on merit. The Defence Forces prides itself on providing a gender neutral working environment. Policies on equality are being constantly communicated to all ranks. The military authorities are alert and vigilant to this issue and are committed to addressing this matter in an ongoing and proactive manner. The number of serving females was 565 in 2011 which represented 6% of the overall strength of the Permanent Defence Force. This comprised of 467 Army, 30 Air Corps and 68 Naval Service.

The Public Service Agreement 2010 – 2014 (Croke Park Agreement) contains elements relevant to both the civil and military elements of the Defence Organisation. It acknowledges the major process of change, modernisation and transformation which has been underway in the Defence Organisation since the 1990s. The associated Defence Sector Agreement is designed to ensure that the Defence Forces remains fit for purpose and will be able to continue to fulfil all of its functions. Action Plans under the Agreement are in place for both the civil and military element of the organisation and the ambitious targets in these plans are being met.

The Department of Defence will continue to cooperate fully with central initiatives under the Public Service reform agenda in the area of shared services. The Department currently provides financial shared services to the Defence sector and has a long experience and an excellent track record in the provision of such services. The Department is participating in a study group, led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

A major process of change, modernisation and transformation has been ongoing within the Defence Organisation since the 1990s. This process was continued through the White Paper on Defence (2000) and successive social partnership agreements. The organisation has delivered a significant reduction in the numbers of civil servants, military personnel and civilian employees over this period. The rationalisation of military installations has continued. This modernisation program within Defence has led to improved operational outputs. In respect of the Army, it has been able to deploy, sustain and maintain concurrent forces on the most demanding of Peace Support Operations in the most austere environments. The Naval Service patrol day outputs have increased significantly after the Naval Service Reorganisation. The Air Corps contribution to the provision of services in ATCP and ATCA has also increased.

Arising from the 2011 Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, the Government decided to maintain the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500. This is to ensure that the Defence Forces retain the capacity to fulfil all roles assigned to the greatest extent possible.

The evident culture across the Defence Forces is masculine, and has a limited appreciation of diversity of all kinds. This culture is compounded by the inadequacy of existing grievance processes, where there is a reluctance to engage due in many cases to fear of reprisal if complaints are aired, and particularly so if the complainant is part of a minority, particularly women in a male dominated environment. To effect real and lasting cultural change in this regard will require significant attitude and behavioral shifts by current staff, together with the generation of a critical mass of female participation across the organisation at all levels. Clearly this will take time to achieve, but this element of the culture change process can be accelerated by setting short term targets for female recruitment and participation on career courses, and the creation of a mechanism to ensure there is female participation and input at all decision making levels of the organisation.

The 09 February 2022 Report by the Commission on the Defence Forces called for consideration of the gender perspective should become mandatory in all aspects of decision making across the Defence Forces and particularly in relation to HR practices, promotion processes, procurement and development of infrastructure, including immediate removal of gendered rules, regulations and standards that are unfavourable to women, and others who do not fit a perceived ‘norm’, including a review and modernisation of grooming standards for both men and women in line with trends in other armed forces and Irish society.

A guaranteed minimum female participation rate of 35% on all command and other relevant career courses by 2025. Identification and removal of practices around access to promotion opportunities and courses which, in effect, indirectly discriminate against women or other groups such as, for example, primary carers. Fitness standards should be reviewed and updated to ensure they are relative to accepted standards for females and modern military roles.

The 09 February 2022 Report by the Commission on the Defence Forces called for the Army Reserve establishment should stand at 3,900 with a ratio of 50:50 between Combat / Combat Support and Combat Service Support. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Micheál Martin TD on 18 May 2023 stated "... we will incrementally increase personnel numbers by some 2,000 over and above the current establishment of 9,500. As has previously been said in this House, the Government does not underestimate the challenge in achieving this objective, but we are working hard to address issues around recruitment and retention.