Defence Forces (Ireland)

The Defence Forces are the <a href="/facts/Military/kgNmLUnN">armed forces</a> of <a href="/facts/Republic_of_Ireland/k8JzXVze">Ireland</a>. They encompass the <a href="/facts/Irish_Army/azlvEtF6">Army</a>, <a href="/facts/Irish_Air_Corps/LLXTIp3a">Air Corps</a>, <a href="/facts/Irish_Naval_Service/hpdLkMgV">Naval Service</a>, and <a href="/facts/Reserve_Defence_Forces/TpquPygw">Reserve Defence Forces</a>.
The Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces is the <a href="/facts/President_of_Ireland/y3Bd9wm8">President of Ireland</a>. All Defence Forces officers hold their <a href="/facts/Commission_(document)/9A36vegI">commission</a> from the President, but in practice, the <a href="/facts/Minister_for_Defence_(Ireland)/U3sKqdUI">Minister for Defence</a> acts on the President's behalf and reports to the <a href="/facts/Government_of_Ireland/7sCXlqex">Government of Ireland</a>. The Minister for Defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the <a href="/facts/Department_of_Defence_(Ireland)/9v9lzkIT">Department of Defence</a>.
As of December 2023, there were 7,550 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. As of August 2024, there were also 1,720 personnel in the Reserve Defence Force out of an established strength of 4,069.

Defence Forces (Ireland) open-in-new

Defence Forces (Ireland)