In the first half of this year, 338 personnel left the Defence Forces while just 240 were recruited. The army now has only 5,959 members, some 1,500 less than the minimum strength. Picture: iStock
The strength of the army has dropped below 6,000 for the first time in living memory and now stands 1,500 fewer than the absolute minimum the force should have.
The latest figures also show more people continue to leave the Defence Forces than join it.
In response to queries from the Irish Examiner, the Defence Forces press office confirmed that, as of June 30, the total strength of the country’s military has fallen to 7,399, which is 2,100 short of the minimum it should have. Personnel numbers have consistently fallen every year since 2015 and there are now nearly 2,000 fewer personnel than then.
At the end of last year, the strength of the army was 6,136, the air corps was at 689, and the naval service 725.
A total of 758 left the Defence Forces last year either due to forced retirement on age grounds, resignation, or on medical grounds.
However, in 2023 they were only able to bring in 415 recruits.
PDForra president Mark Keane says the Defence Forces faces competition from the private sector, which often offers better pay, conditions, and career progression opportunities. Picture: Chani Anderson
The pattern has continued for the first six months of this year. Up to June 30, the strength of army, air corps and naval service was 5,959, 707 and 733 respectively.
During those six months, a further 338 personnel left the Defence Forces while just 240 were recruited.
The army should have a minimum of 7,520 personnel, the naval service 1,094, and the air corps 886.
While the naval service and air corps are short of people their numbers have remained fairly stable and in fact have improved ever so slightly.
The navy has only one ship out on patrol due to personnel shortages and mechanical issues. Five other ships — three P60 class Atlantic-capable vessels and two P70s designed for patrols in the Irish Sea — are still inoperable and the latest personnel figures suggest not many of them will be back out on patrol any time soon.
However, the army is losing a lot of sergeants and corporals.
Mark Keane the president of PDForra, which represents more than 6,000 enlisted personnel, said: “Retention within the Defence Forces has been a significant issue in recent years. The issues surrounding pay and conditions have been frequently cited for poor recruitment and retention.
“This has somewhat been addressed through the prism of recent measures such as the most recent national pay agreement.”
He said the demands of military life can make it challenging to maintain a healthy work/life balance, as long deployments, unpredictable hours and the physical and emotional toll of service can put a strain on personnel.
“Currently, the Defence Forces also face competition from other sectors, particularly the private sector, where former military personnel may attract better pay, working conditions, and career progression opportunities,” he said.
Mr Keane said PDForra welcomes the steps taken by Tánaiste and Defence Minister Micheál Martin and his department which have seen pay reviews, improved conditions, and efforts to boost recruitment and retention.
“However, many in the Defence Forces believe that these measures have been insufficient to resolve the underlying problems,” Mr Keane added.