Defence Forces (Ireland)
The Defence Forces (Irish: Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled Óglaigh na hÉireann) are the armed forces of Ireland. They encompass the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, and Reserve Defence Forces.
| 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 | 18–24 (27 Naval Service) |
| Conscription | No |
| Active personnel | 7,550 (Establishment: 9,589) (31 December 2023) |
| Reserve personnel | 1,706 (Establishment: 4,069) (May 2023) |
| Deployed personnel | 530 troops, 17 missions (as of January 2024), including: |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | €1.23bn (2024) |
| Percent of GDP | 0.23% (2022) |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Ireland |
The Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces is the President of Ireland. 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.
As of May 2023, there were 7,764 permanent personnel in the Defence Forces out of an established strength of 9,500, a decrease from September 2020 when there were 8,529 personnel, comprising 6,878 Army, 752 Air Corps and 899 Naval Service personnel. There were also 1,706 personnel in the Reserve Defence Force out of an established strength of 4,069.