Reserve Defence Forces

Reserve Defence Forces
Irish: Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca
Founded1 October 2005
Service branchesArmy Reserve
Naval Service Reserve
HeadquartersDirectorate of Reserve Forces, Operations Division DFHQ
Websitehttp://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/reserve-defence-forces/
Leadership
DCOS OpsMajor General Anthony McKenna
Director of Reserve ForcesColonel Colm Ó Luasa
Personnel
Reserve personnel1,706 personnel (Establishment: 4,069) (May 2023)[1]

The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) (Irish: Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca)[2] are the combined reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces.[3] The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve (FLR) and an active Second Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve is composed of former members of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) and, as of May 2023, had a strength of 276.[1] The Second Line Reserve comprises the Army Reserve (AR) with, as of May 2023, a strength of 1,351 out of an established strength of 3,869, and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR), with a strength of 79 out of an established strength of 200.[1]

The RDF was established on 1 October 2005 and replaced the Second Line Reserve, previously named An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ) in the case of the AR, and An Slua Muirí in the case of the NSR. The Reserve has undergone significant reorganisation and modernisation in tandem with the Permanent Defence Forces as part of the "Single Force" concept.

  1. ^ a b c "Defence Forces Reserve Strength – Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday – 20 June 2023 – Written Answers (Question to Defence)". Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Hansard). 20 June 2023. The strength of the Reserve Defence Force, as of 31 May 2023, is [..] Army Reserve .. 1,351 [..] Naval Service Reserve .. 79 [..] First Line Reserve .. 276.
  2. ^ "Dáil Éireann – Parliamentary Debates Official Report – Volume 683 – 20 May 2009 – Written Answers – Defence Forces Reserve". Dáil Éireann. 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014.
  3. ^ The Irish Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF)