Journal.ie - Troops owed €3.7m in allowances as group criticises inaction by public expenditure minister - 12 May 2026

Irish Defence Forces enlisted ranks on parade. Irish Defence Forces.

Journal.ie - Defence Forces recruitment static after years of underinvestment, military group claims - 12 May 26

Irish Defence Forces enlisted ranks on parade. Irish Defence Forces.

Examiner.com - 'Astronomically high vacancy numbers' due to Defence Forces underinvestment - 12 May 26

Years of underinvestment in the Defence Forces have resulted in “astronomically high vacancy numbers” that are only beginning to be filled.

Journal.ie - Incoming military Chief: Gaps in Irish Defence capability causing 'complex challenges - 14 May 25

Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy, will take over as Chief of Staff in June, said the shortfall is in the midst of a difficult security environment across Europe.

Examiner.com - Simon Harris says improving recruitment and retention in Defence Forces one of his 'most important priorities' - 13 May 25

Simon Harris said he had met with his senior leadership team on Monday 'for a very detailed and frank discussion about how we can do more' to address these issues, as personnel are the Defence Forces' most vital asset. Picture Colin Keegan/ Collins

Examiner.com - Ireland to extend peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for 12 months — Tánaiste - 13 May 25

Irish troops use the optic of a Javelin Anti Tank weapon at Camp Shamrock near the border with Lebanon and Israel where Irish Defence Forces troops are serving with the Unifil peacekeeping mission amid escalating clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

RTE.ie - Heads of bill to change Triple Lock to be brought to Cabinet - 13 May 25

Irish Defence Forces members have been involved in overseas peacekeeping since 1958

Radio Kerry - PDFORRA conference in Killarney to discuss retention issues - 13 May 25

RTE News.ie - Members of Defence Forces gather for PDFORRA conference in Killarney - 13 May 25

Examiner.com - PDForra to push for halt to exodus of skilled technicians from Defence Forces - 13 May 25

The exodus of highly-skilled personnel leaving the military for better pay in the private sector is one of the big-ticket items at the PDForra conference in Killarney. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

The Journal - Exodus from Defence Forces is not a 'mystery' as group calls for financial boost to keep troops - 13 May 2025

Mark Keane, the outgoing President of PDFORRA, was speaking ahead of the opening of the group’s annual conference in Killarney today.

Important Contact Details PDFORRA HQ

Important Notice - PDFORRA HQ 03 April 2025

Examiner.com - Foreign-born personnel provide Defence Forces with added expertise - 25 Mar 25

Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, congratulates five foreign-born Naval Service recruits who passed out from training in 2021. They are Luis Eduardo Espindola Caldas (Brazil), Filip Bezjuk (Croatia), Ansoumane Firkins (Guinea), Raul Muresan (Romania) and Daniels Tuceks (Latvia). There are now 244 foreign-born recruits from 31 countries in the ranks of the army, navy and air corps.

Value of People Survey

PDFORRA has been asked to assist in the circulation of the 'Value Our People Survey'

Examiner.com - Over 1,600 Defence Forces personnel awarded compensation for working overtime - 17 Feb 25

PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan confirmed the number of successful applicants his association had represented to date on the WTD claims. File picture

Examiner.com - Union takes High Court action in bid to boost pay of elite Army Ranger Wing - 04 Feb 25

PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan said relative to their counterparts in other armed forces, 'there is a shortfall in the rates of pay that our special forces members earn'. File picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Journal.ie - Groups representing military members hail 'historic' move for Defence Forces workplace rights - 21 Jan 25

The Irish Defence Forces were exempt from laws governing leave, safe rest periods and break times.

Examiner.com - Associations call for full-time defence minister - 14 Jan 25

Mon, 13 Jan, 2025 - 07:29

The Sun - Irish Defence Forces should offer loyalty bonuses & follow Canadian military lead amid retention bid, soldier reps claim - 10 Jan 25

Figures from November show we only have 7,447 troops.

Journal.ie - Survey finds 73% of uniformed services who joined after 2013 considering 'seeking a new job' - 25 Nov 24

A file image of Defence Forces members. Alamy Stock Photo

Irishexaminer.com - Outsourcing of instructor jobs may breach public service agreement, says military body - 02 Sep 24

General Secretary of PDFORRA Gerard Guinan said: 'The message being sent out is that running services into the ground is the only manner by which you will receive funding. File picture: Paul Mealey

Journal.ie - Defence Forces mandatory retirement age rises from 60 to 62 - 19 Aug 24

THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT age for members of the Irish Defence Forces has risen from 60 to 62 years old as of today, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has announced.

Examiner.com - Defence Forces, firefighters, and prison guards can defer retirement by two years from today - 19 Aug 24

The maximum retirement age for members of the Defence Forces, firefighters, and prison guards is being raised from 60 to 62 from today.

Independent.ie - Mandatory retirement age for Defence Forces, fire fighters and prison officers increases to 62 from today - 18 Aug 24

Defence Minister Micheál Martin and Irish Defence Forces chief of staff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy. Photo: Niall Carson/PA