Non Irish-born personnel a 'growing Band of Brothers' in Defence Force 

Defence Correspondent Sean O'Riordan looks at some of the changes happening in the Defence Forces and how the Forces are adapting to meet them

Among the lastest Naval Service recruits who passed out from training and who are foreign-born come from countries as diverse as Brazil, Croatia, Guinea, Romania, and Latvia. Picture Larry Cummins

Ireland has the longest peacekeeping record in the United Nations (UN). We are also a member of the UN Security Council and our forces are rapidly becoming a 'United Nations of personnel'.

Figures obtained by the Irish Examiner show that while Irish-born personnel remain the backbone of the Army, Naval Service, and Air Corps, there has been a growing shift in the number of people joining up who were born elsewhere, which has been welcomed by Defence Forces Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellett.