Patrick O'Donovan
Question:575. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Defence if in the past a member of the Defence Forces from a foreign State has ever been transferred to the Irish Defence Forces. [29650/14]
View answerTuesday, 8 July 2014
Questions (575)
Written answers
I am advised by the military authorities that transfer is an administrative process within the context of the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces does not have an administrative relationship with military forces from other countries wherein personnel can be transferred between it and other forces. No serving individual has or can transfer between the Defence Forces and other military forces. Defence Force Regulations states, that a person belonging to the Military, Naval, Air, Police or Reserve Forces of any other country or State is ineligible for enlistment to the Defence Forces. However, it is the case that former members of other national military forces may apply for entry to the Irish Defence Forces subject to the qualifying conditions applying at the time. I am advised by the military authorities that such individuals have frequently been enlisted or commissioned into the Defence Forces in the past. For example, former medical officers from other military forces have been commissioned into the Defence Forces.