More than 900 Irish join British army as Defence Forces numbers at all time low 

Security analyst Declan Power said there were well-documented issues around pay and general conditions that needed to be improved in the Irish military. Picture: Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

More than 900 people from the Republic of Ireland applied to join the British army over the past three years even as numbers serving in the Irish Defence Forces have fallen to historical lows.

Figures from the British Ministry of Defence show 824 individuals with a postcode in the 26 counties had sought to sign up for their regular forces during the last three recruitment years.