Defence Forces Operations in 2014
Overseas
There are currently 430 Military Personnel serving on Peace Support Operations in sixteen different countries across the globe. The largest troop mission is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) where there are 199 Irish personnel serving, followed by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force on the Golan Heights where where 138 Defence Forces personnel are deployed.
Irish Troops are also serving in Mali, Sierra Leone Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Heregovina, and Kosovo.
Security Escorts and Duties
Provisional figures for 2014 indicate that the Army completed over 1299 cash in transit escorts until the end of Defence Forces Cash in Transit escorts in November 2014. The Army has also completed 139 special category prisoner security escorts up to the start of this month.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal
The Defence Forces maintain a number of Army Bomb Disposal teams across the State on a 24/7, 365 days a year basis. In close cooperation with our colleagues in the Gardaí Síochána, these teams are mobile to the scene of incidents within a matter of minutes. This year’s provisional figures indicate that the Teams have responded to over 141 call outs so far this year down from 250 in 2013. This year's call outs included 53 viable Improvised Explosive Devices (including 7 call outs to conduct post blast analyses), this is down from 80 in 2013. The teams also dealt with 22 call outs for hazardous material and pyrotechnics which are generally unstable chemicals in laboratories, schools and colleges and 35 conventional munition destruction call outs, usually historical or legacy munitions found by people renovating houses, gardens etc.
Education
This year 223 Defence Forces graduates were successfully conferred at Carlow Institute of Technology. The graduates successfully completed elements of the Leadership, Management and Defence (LMDS) programme. This training and education programme is of major significance to the educational recognition of training conducted by the Defence Forces.
The Higher Education Training and Awards Council (HETAC) approved the validation of Defence Forces enlisted personnel career courses for awards under the National Framework of Qualifications in 2012.
The aim of the award is to validate the lifelong and taught learning that soldiers, sailors and airmen and women of the Defence Forces complete throughout their military careers. It captures the training from completion of a soldier’s initial training to completion of the most advanced training programmes that they can complete. It also takes into account the experiential learning personnel glean from their operational deployments and work both at home and overseas.
The Defence Forces also have close links with NUI Maynooth who also recognise Defence Forces career courses.
Defence Forces Ceremonial Duties
2014 saw the Defence Forces involved in more than 30 significant Military and State Ceremonial Events;
State ceremonial duties were conducted at the Easter Sunday Commemoration Parade at the GPO; the National Famine Commemoration in Strokestown; the 1916 Leaders Commemoration in Arbour Hill and at the National Day of Commemoration in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. In addition to these events State ceremonial duty was conducted for the Presidential State visit to the United Kingdom in April and China in December and for State visits to Ireland by the Presidents of Mozambique and Austria in June and October respectively.
On 02nd April 2014 the Defence Forces provided an all female tri-service (Army, Air Corps and Naval Service) Guard of Honour to commemorate the centenary of the founding of Cumann na mBan.
On 27th July 2014 the Defence Forces supported a joint official/community event to mark the centenary of the landing of guns in Howth Harbour aboard the yacht ‘Asgard’.
On 31st July 2014 Irish and British Military Ceremonial Elements participated in a ceremonial unveiling of the newly installed Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin Cemetary. This ceremony was led by An tÚachtarán and HRH, The Duke of Kent.
Over the Summer months of 2014 the Defence Forces conducted ceremonies at the National Memorial, Merrion Square, to remember those soldiers who have given their lives in the service of the State.
Throughout 2014 various other ceremonial duties were carried out across the country by all members of the Defence Forces.
Overseas
There are currently 430 Military Personnel serving on Peace Support Operations in sixteen different countries across the globe. The largest troop mission is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) where there are 199 Irish personnel serving, followed by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force on the Golan Heights where where 138 Defence Forces personnel are deployed.
Irish Troops are also serving in Mali, Sierra Leone Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Heregovina, and Kosovo.
Security Escorts and Duties
Provisional figures for 2014 indicate that the Army completed over 1299 cash in transit escorts until the end of Defence Forces Cash in Transit escorts in November 2014. The Army has also completed 139 special category prisoner security escorts up to the start of this month.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal
The Defence Forces maintain a number of Army Bomb Disposal teams across the State on a 24/7, 365 days a year basis. In close cooperation with our colleagues in the Gardaí Síochána, these teams are mobile to the scene of incidents within a matter of minutes. This year’s provisional figures indicate that the Teams have responded to over 141 call outs so far this year down from 250 in 2013. This year's call outs included 53 viable Improvised Explosive Devices (including 7 call outs to conduct post blast analyses), this is down from 80 in 2013. The teams also dealt with 22 call outs for hazardous material and pyrotechnics which are generally unstable chemicals in laboratories, schools and colleges and 35 conventional munition destruction call outs, usually historical or legacy munitions found by people renovating houses, gardens etc.
Education
This year 223 Defence Forces graduates were successfully conferred at Carlow Institute of Technology. The graduates successfully completed elements of the Leadership, Management and Defence (LMDS) programme. This training and education programme is of major significance to the educational recognition of training conducted by the Defence Forces.
The Higher Education Training and Awards Council (HETAC) approved the validation of Defence Forces enlisted personnel career courses for awards under the National Framework of Qualifications in 2012.
The aim of the award is to validate the lifelong and taught learning that soldiers, sailors and airmen and women of the Defence Forces complete throughout their military careers. It captures the training from completion of a soldier’s initial training to completion of the most advanced training programmes that they can complete. It also takes into account the experiential learning personnel glean from their operational deployments and work both at home and overseas.
The Defence Forces also have close links with NUI Maynooth who also recognise Defence Forces career courses.
Defence Forces Ceremonial Duties
2014 saw the Defence Forces involved in more than 30 significant Military and State Ceremonial Events;
State ceremonial duties were conducted at the Easter Sunday Commemoration Parade at the GPO; the National Famine Commemoration in Strokestown; the 1916 Leaders Commemoration in Arbour Hill and at the National Day of Commemoration in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. In addition to these events State ceremonial duty was conducted for the Presidential State visit to the United Kingdom in April and China in December and for State visits to Ireland by the Presidents of Mozambique and Austria in June and October respectively.
On 02nd April 2014 the Defence Forces provided an all female tri-service (Army, Air Corps and Naval Service) Guard of Honour to commemorate the centenary of the founding of Cumann na mBan.
On 27th July 2014 the Defence Forces supported a joint official/community event to mark the centenary of the landing of guns in Howth Harbour aboard the yacht ‘Asgard’.
On 31st July 2014 Irish and British Military Ceremonial Elements participated in a ceremonial unveiling of the newly installed Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin Cemetary. This ceremony was led by An tÚachtarán and HRH, The Duke of Kent.
Over the Summer months of 2014 the Defence Forces conducted ceremonies at the National Memorial, Merrion Square, to remember those soldiers who have given their lives in the service of the State.
Throughout 2014 various other ceremonial duties were carried out across the country by all members of the Defence Forces.
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