Defence Force numbers at an all-time low

THE Defence Forces is at its lowest strength since the foundation of the state and officers, “who are double and treble-jobbing” to fill the void, have warned any further cuts will have very serious consequences for their ability to serve the nation’s interests

The warning was given yesterday by Colonel Brian O’Keeffe, general secretary of RACO, the representative organisation for 1,350 officers in the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service.

Speaking at RACO’s biannual conference in Cork, Col O’Keeffe said the strength of the Defence Forces had drastically decreased, from a high of 15,000 in the 1980s to its current 9,500.