The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter T.D., today (Friday 7th March 2014) announced the launch of a new recruitment campaign for enlisted personnel in both the Permanent and the Reserve Defence Forces.
This will be the first intake of recruits to the Reserve following on the reorganisation of the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces in line with the ‘Single Force Concept’ whereby Reserve Units are embedded into Permanent Defence Force Formations. Applicants for recruitment to both the Permanent and Reserve Defence Forces will be required to complete broadly similar assessments including physical fitness and interview assessment. The recruitment competition for both will be run through a centralised online application system on the Defence Forces Website www.military.ie.
The Defence Forces plan to induct up to 400 personnel to the Permanent Defence Force (both Army and Navy) and up to 500 personnel to the Reserve Defence Force (both Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) in 2014. Launching the recruitment campaign at a Citizenship Ceremony in Waterford today, where the Minister inspected a guard of honour from the Naval Service Reserve, the Minister said: “the Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel and this current campaign will enable us to do that. The establishment of the Single Force Concept of embedded Reserve Units within the Defence Forces will also provide a challenging and rewarding environment for new Reservists. The current Reserve recruitment campaign will allow us to develop and fine tune the new Single Force Concept which we will then build on in 2015”.
The new recruitment campaign is designed to attract enthusiastic and committed men and women from all backgrounds and ethnicities to a career in the Defence Forces. “With the changes in the makeup of Ireland’s population, it is important that we raise awareness and attract recruits from all backgrounds, including the new Irish, so that our Defence Forces, Permanent and Reserve, reflect the society that they serve. As such, it is appropriate that I am launching the Defence Forces recruitment campaign here in Waterford today at this Citizenship ceremony which recognises and welcomes our new citizens. Just as these new citizens contribute to the richness and diversity of Irish Society, I would like to invite and encourage them to participate in all the institutions of the State and, particularly, to consider a career in Defence Forces, in An Garda Siochana and indeed in the other institutions of the State of which they are now citizens”, the Minister said.
As part of the recruitment campaign the Defence Forces are contacting various groups representative of the different ethnic groups in the State. There is also extensive engagement with schools, colleges and sports clubs and organisations. The Defence Forces are particularly interested in attracting applications from women. “The Defence Forces is committed to full equality among all its personnel irrespective of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in serving in the Armed Forces to go online to the Defence Forces Website or to contact their local barracks to get further information. Anybody who satisfies the entry criteria and is interested in a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling career in one of Europe’s most modern military forces is invited to apply online and play your part”, the Minister said.
ENDS
Note for Editors
Further information on service in the Irish Defence Forces can be found on the Defence Forces Website www.military.ie or through their social media platforms on Twitter and Facebook. Applicants for recruitment should make themselves aware of the difference between full time and reserve service in the Defence Forces and apply accordingly.
The “Single Force Concept” provides that Reserve Defence Force elements are embedded into Permanent Defence Force units, ensuring a single chain of command allowing scope for greater collective training and operational effectiveness. Under the new structure, Army units within the Defence Forces have both Permanent and Reserve Defence Force components, as opposed to the separate parallel structures that previously existed. All Reserve Defence Force units have been disestablished and the personnel posted into Reserve Defence Force elements of Defence Force units. This revised structure has improved access to equipment, expertise and appropriate training for members of the Reserve. It has allowed for a significant reduction in the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel required to administer and train the Reserve on a full time basis.