Minister for the Defence Forces Willie O’Dea officiated at an army commissioning ceremony in Co Kildare where a fifth of the cadets were women.

THE United Nations is still the best hope for world peace, Defence Minister Willie O’Dea said yesterday, at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s UN membership.

A company of soldiers which fought against overwhelming odds in the Congo for three days are to be finally honoured by the state today.

THE family of a soldier who died from gunshot wounds in the Lebanon six years ago welcomed an apology from Defence Minister Willie O’Dea but said they still wanted a full garda investigation into his shooting.

A CABINET decision on whether Ireland signs up to the controversial EU battle groups is likely to be made within weeks.

TWO prominent Irish-Americans have quit as directors of the charity GOAL USA following John O’Shea’s criticism of the Government’s decision to offer €1 million in aid to New Orleans.

ON Tuesday last, in the course of a Morning Ireland discussion on the Government sending troops to New Orleans, I inadvertently used the term “boy scouts to the Somme” while attempting to make an analogy.

Two soldiers have been disciplined after an inquiry into allegations that a private was locked into a locker and ordered to eat food off a floor at an army barracks.

Defence Minister Willie O’Dea today cancelled plans for a meeting with United States Joint Chief of Staff General Richard Myers.

The visit of US Joint Chief of Staff Richard Myers to Dublin today has been condemned by the Irish anti-war community.

IF Andrea Bocelli’s star could have been eclipsed last night, the weather would have been the only contender.

THE Government has sought to reassure the public that the threat of a terrorist attack on Ireland remains low in the aftermath of yesterday's terrorist atrocity in central London.

THE army will be sent in to take over the running of the country’s prisons if current efforts at preventing a strike by prison officers fail, the Minister for Defence and Defence Forces Chief of Staff confirmed.

The Easter Rising must not be hijacked by any organisation for its own selfish purposes, a Catholic bishop told a 1916 commemoration ceremony today.

CORK’S Collins Barracks will tomorrow become the first Irish army barracks to open a military museum to the public.

An expert Irish defence forces team is to be deployed to the region devastated by the Asian tsunami next week, it was confirmed today.

President Mary McAleese is to pay a morale-boosting pre-Christmas visit to Irish troops engaged in United Nations duty in Liberia next week.

THE independent investigation of the Army Equitation School by two UCD vets has been completed and indicates there are/were no untoward practices at the facility, sources say.

The decorated coffin of the Canadian naval crewman who died in a submarine accident was flown home to Nova Scotia today after an Irish military send-off.

THE head of the Defence Forces gave soldier representatives a dressing down yesterday for raising serious allegations for the “first time” in the media.

MILITARY authorities are trying to suppress bullying complaints by disciplining a soldier for making a ‘false’ allegation, army representatives claimed yesterday.

POTENTIAL recruits to the Defence Forces should not be awarded extra marks if they conduct interviews in Irish, says a report.

DEFENCE MINISTER Michael Smith will be seeking a share of the €14 billion funds in the SSIA schemes to finance the expansion of the naval service — particularly more high-speed drug trafficking interception boats.

THE prospects for the Defence Forces next year look very bleak if funding cuts of recent years continue, the Chief of Staff warned.

HI-TECH surveillance units, each costing €400,000, and designed to detect human footfalls at a range of 43km, will be deployed for the visit of US President George W Bush.

The battle to modernise the Defence Forces will continue this year with the delivery of new armoured personnel carriers and training aircraft, its chief of staff is expected to say today.

A SEVERE shortage of army doctors available for overseas duty could force the Defence Forces to seek outside tenders for vital medical services.

More than 400 soldiers were preparing today for a tour of duty in west Africa as part of a United Nations peace-keeping force in war torn Liberia.

A major conference aimed at improving military co-operation between the European Union and United Nations is getting under way today in Dublin.