Major push to bolster Reserve Defence Forces
Commission on Defence report says recruitment must be speeded up to fill the vacancies that exist.
A major push is planned to bolster the Reserve Defence Forces, following a number of recommendations contained in the Commission on Defence report.
It says recruitment must be speeded up to fill the vacancies that exist. The Army Reserve and Navy Reserve should have a combined minimum strength of 4,069, but are currently 1,622 short of that figure.
The authors of the report say the Army Reserve should be restructured to comprise 50% combat / combat support corps (infantry, cavalry, artillery) and 50% combat service support corps (communication and information services, engineering, defence, medical, military police, ordnance, transport).
The Navy Reserve should have a minimum of 400 personnel — at present it is half that — and should have an additional presence in Galway, Louth and the North-West. The report also recommends that an air force reserve should be created and have a minimum strength of 200 personnel.
“This report does not only provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the reserve to truly become an integral part of Ireland’s defence infrastructure, it also represents the reserve’s last chance to have a future at all,” Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA) general secretary Neil Richardson said.
“For the reserve to have its own chapter within the report speaks volumes to how well the commission chairman and his colleagues understood the dire situation the reserve is currently in. Our association also views the report as a testament to Minister Coveney’s evident commitment to regenerating the force,” he said.
Mr Richardson said regenerating the reserve will provide the State with an extremely cost-effective supplementary force for the full-time military.
The report recommends the creation of an office of reserve affairs to oversee all reserve matters.
“The devil will be in the detail, in terms of funding, resource allocation, and the actual implementation of the report’s recommendations. But based on Minister Coveney's commitments and the Department of Defence and military management’s engagement with the reserve in recent times, our association believes that this could be the start of a very bright future for the force,” Mr Richardson said.
The Irish Defence & Security Association (IDSA) also welcomed the report.
IDSA chairman Pat O’Connor said as the country plans to spend billions on defence in the next decade, we need to put policies in place that create jobs, fund R&D and drive exports for Irish SMEs and third-level research organisations, rather than only buying equipment and capability from other countries and their industries.
“If we are genuine about protecting our nation's interests and ensuring our neutrality, it's time to invest in the defence capability required to protect our society, our economy and stand up for what we believe in as a nation,” Mr O'Connor said.
