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Munitions and explosives would be expected on a shopping list for the Defence Forces, but not washing machines, driers and mousetraps. New tender documents show the military is looking for a supply of munitions and explosive materials to train recruits and for use on deployments at home and abroad. The forces are also looking for the services of a pest control expert to provide "proactive measures" and "recommendations concerning rats/mice infestation" at military buildings. The contract for tackling pest infestations is not linked to the supply of pyrotech- nics, including flares and explos...

Share this article Proposed new legislation will make it illegal for anyone but the Defence Forces to call themselves Óglaigh na hÉireann. Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne is calling for the title to be legally protected to prevent dissidents or political organisations from using it. The name was first used by the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and later by the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence. The Provisional IRA also co-opted the name during the Troubles and Senator Byrne told Newstalk Breakfast this morning that it now needs to be protected to ensure it only refers to t...

Cormac O'Keeffe: Schism between Department of Defence and Defence Forces a huge challenge A furore over a published paper by a serving military officer highlights the schism between the two arms of Ireland's defence apparatus, writes Security Correspondent Cormac O'Keeffe This newspaper published a story online - “Ireland has one Department of Defence civil servant for every 23 soldiers” - based on the academic article written by Lieutenant (now Captain) Brian Clarke in the Defence Forces Review 2020 which sparked a furore along Department of Defence corridors. File picture. Mon, 15 Feb,...

Military personnel should be added to vaccine priority list, RACO says The Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (RACO) wants prioritisation to be given, in particular, to Defence Forces personnel deployed on operations in support of the HSE and those operating in close quarters or crowded work environments such as on ships, aircraft and in prisons. Sun, 07 Feb, 2021 - 13:00 Sean O’Riordan The association representing the country's military officers wants key personnel prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations to protect the Defence Forces from suffering a further decline in numb...

Analysis: it is more than timely that an independent group examines Ireland's Defence Forces, although its remit is not to delve too deeply Buried amidst the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the Cabinet quietly agreed on December 15th to establish an independent commission on the Defence Forces. This completes a promise from the June programme for government and comes at a time when the role of the Defence Forces in mobilising against the pandemic has been hugely appreciated. Yet fighting diseases is not the essence of what armies, navies and airforces do. Their job is to defend any state from viol...