Defence Forces (Ireland)
| Irish Defence Forces | |
|---|---|
| Óglaigh na hÉireann Fórsaí Cosanta | |
 | |
| Founded | 1 October 1924 |
| Current form | collective armed forces |
| Service branches | |
| Headquarters | DFHQ McKee Barracks, Dublin |
| Website | Official website |
| Leadership | |
| Supreme Commander | Catherine Connolly |
| Minister for Defence | Helen McEntee |
| Chief of Staff | Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18–39 (of enlistment, as of 2026) |
| Conscription | no |
| Active personnel | 7,767 (as of 2026; Establishment: 9,739) |
| Reserve personnel | 1,811 (as of 2026; Establishment: 4,069) |
| Deployed personnel | 428 troops, 17 missions (as of March 2025) |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | €1.5bn (2024) |
| Percent of GDP | 0.23% (2022) |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Ireland |
The Irish Defence Forces (Irish: Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled Óglaigh na hÉireann) are the armed forces of the Republic of Ireland. Full-time salaried personnel are collectively known as the Permanent Defence Force (PDF); they encompass the Army, the Naval Service, and the Air Corps. The Permanent Defence Force is supported by volunteers of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF), consisting of the First Line Reserve (FLR) and the Second Line Reserve (SLR), the latter of which contains the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR). In terms of personnel numbers, on 31 January 2026, the Minister for Defence confirmed a strength of 7,767 for the Permanent Defence Force, 204 for the First Line Reserve, and 1,607 for the Second Line Reserve, the latter consisting of 1,473 Army Reserve and 134 Naval Service Reserve. This equates to a ratio of Permanent Defence Force to Reserve Defence Forces of 4.3:1.
The Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence Forces is the President of Ireland. All Irish Defence Forces officers hold their commission from the President of Ireland. In practice, the Minister for Defence acts on the President of Ireland's behalf, and reports to the Government of Ireland. The Council of Defence advises the Minister for Defence on the business of the Department of Defence.
In June 2025, there were 7,531 permanent personnel in the Irish Defence Forces, out of an established strength of 9,739, a decrease from September 2020 when there were 8,529 personnel, comprising 6,878 Army, 752 Air Corps and 899 Naval Service personnel. As of August 2024, there were also 1,720 personnel in the Reserve Defence Force out of an established strength of 4,069.