Minister of state Paul Keogh has announced measures which he hopes will stem an exodus of personnel from the Defence Forces.

Naval officers organised a whip-around to bail out a number of recruits who have not been paid for weeks.

The strength of the Garda is increasing for the first time as the numbers being recruited exceed those who are retiring.

Three-quarters of those who become foreign fighters for the Islamic State extremist group are recruited through friends and 20% by family members, a terrorism expert said.