Shatter to army: Let in failed recruits

Two applicants who failed to meet the minimum height requirement for the Defence Forces are set to be recruited after a direct intervention by Alan Shatter.

It is understood the military leadership counselled against the move, due to concerns for the individuals themselves on health and safety grounds.

One Defence Forces source said that several senior officers were furious at the justice and defence minister’s intervention, regarding it as unwise and counter-productive “micro-management”.