Ирландия Қорғаныс Күштерінің Резервтік Құрамдарының Қайта Ұйымдастырылуы

Combined reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces

The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) (Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca) are the combined reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces. 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. The Steering Committee recommended an Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve based on a total strength ceiling of 4,069 personnel, (3,869 personnel Army Reserve and 200 personnel Naval Service Reserve), subject to existing organisational structures being revised. In order to provide sufficient paid training days to sustain this strength, the Steering Committee recommended the withdrawal of gratuities from members of the Reserve and a re allocation of the budgetary provision for gratuities of €0.9 million to provide sufficient paid training days for members of the Reserve. The key points are;
A new "Single Force" concept will see Army units having Reserve sub units attached, rather than separate stand alone Reserve units. A geographic spread for the Reserve will be achieved between existing Permanent Defence Force locations and the retention of 16 external locations. This consolidation into an effective organisation will entail the amalgamation and closure of units throughout the country. Recruitment is also envisaged where this is necessary to achieve the numbers required in particular locations. The strength of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve was reduced from its previous establishment of 9,692 personnel to 4,069 personnel. This will be achieved through natural turnover. Implementation of the new organisational structures will require participation and flexibility from existing Reserve personnel. The Naval Service Reserve will consist of 200 personnel and be based in four locations. The number of Army personnel available to work full time with the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve is being reduced from the current 261 Army personnel to 57 full time Army personnel. Additional support will be provided from Army units. Implementation of the re organisation, including regulatory provision for the new Reserve organisation, will be progressed in tandem with the broader re organisation of the Army. As with the Army, there will be an implementation process to achieve the transition from current structures to the new structures. In the intervening period, the military authorities will ensure the continuity of Reserve training. The representative body for all ranks of the RDF is the Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA).

During The Emergency (Second World War), the civilian reserve was known as the Local Security Force, then as the Local Defence Force, which subsequently became translated into Irish as An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúl (or FCA). The FCA persisted as such until 2005 until reorganised and renamed as above.

The 2015 White Paper on Defence and the 2016 Programme for Government provide that the overall establishment of the Army Reserve (AR) and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR) be set at 4,169 personnel, consisting of 3,869 Army Reservists and the expansion of the establishment of the four Naval Service Reserve Units from 200 to 300 personnel. In 2016, recruitment campaigns and training were stepped up to meet these targets.

While the number of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Forces is at a low 6% (which recruitment is trying to increase), the number of female Reservists is higher, with 16.3% female personnel in the Army Reserve and 22% female personnel in the Naval Service Reserve. The White Paper on Defence published in 2015 by the Irish government sets out plans for a "Specialist Reserve" to be created within the Defence Forces, to augment professional skills that may not be readily available within the PDF, such as ICT, medical, ordnance, heavy vehicle mechanics and engineering professionals.

Components of the Reserve Defence Forces (and previously the FCÁ) were involved as extras in the filming of the D Day landing battle scenes in Saving Private Ryan – as well as battle scenes in Braveheart, My Boy Jack and other feature films.