Cormac O'Keeffe: Schism between Department of Defence and Defence Forces a huge challenge

A furore over a published paper by a serving military officer highlights the schism between the two arms of Ireland's defence apparatus, writes Security Correspondent Cormac O'Keeffe

This newspaper published a story online - “Ireland has one Department of Defence civil servant for every 23 soldiers” - based on the academic article written by Lieutenant (now Captain) Brian Clarke in the Defence Forces Review 2020 which sparked a furore along Department of Defence corridors. File picture.

For a serving officer in the Defence Forces, it did seem a risky article.

To have a go, as some might call it, at your parent department - the Department of Defence - in an official journal that can be accessed by the wider public was a bold military manoeuvre.