A MAJOR overhaul of the FCA will mean volunteers being able to serve with the permanent Defence Forces on peacekeeping duties in countries like Kosovo.
Also, Defence Minister Michael Smith is considering legislation which would safeguard the jobs of the volunteers while they are on duty tours abroad.
The minister has approved in principle the major recommendations of the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Board report. The main changes involve replacing the FCA with an Army Reserve and replacing An Slua Muiri with a new Naval Service Reserve.
Reserve personnel may in future be able to volunteer for tours of duty abroad in a move designed to improve morale among the country's 13,800 Army reserve.
A Defence Department spokesman said that the possibility of tours overseas would be "thought out over the course of the implementation" of the report's recommendations.
One of the most important issues to be looked at was guaranteeing volunteers' job would still be there for them on their return to Ireland, he added. Provision would have to be made in legislation to protect people's jobs.
The Department says that, as well as being a major morale booster, if a situation arose where there was difficulty getting the numbers for a tour of duty abroad, it would be very beneficial to have the Army Reserve to draw upon.
While this had never been an issue in the permanent Defence Forces before, allowing reserves serve abroad would be especially beneficial where he or she had special skills in the area of mechanics, ordnance disposal or medical expertise.
"If we had a shortage, we could dip into the reserves, particularly in the skilled areas," the Department spokesman said. "There are times when specific skills can be hard to find, for example a dentist or a doctor. It can be hard to get a medic to serve overseas."
Among recommendations to the minister earlier this year were that the traditional strengths of the reserve system be preserved, such as "the spirit of individual voluntary commitment and the close links with local communities."
The aim, says the Department, is to achieve standardisation and inter-operability between the permanent Defence Forces and Reserve Force in respect of both dress and personal equipment being issued to individuals.
Reserves have been issued with the new standard Army camouflage-style uniform and Steyr rifles.
In districts where there are no reserve units, it is proposed to deal with this.
Kathy Donaghy
Also, Defence Minister Michael Smith is considering legislation which would safeguard the jobs of the volunteers while they are on duty tours abroad.
The minister has approved in principle the major recommendations of the Reserve Defence Force Review Implementation Board report. The main changes involve replacing the FCA with an Army Reserve and replacing An Slua Muiri with a new Naval Service Reserve.
Reserve personnel may in future be able to volunteer for tours of duty abroad in a move designed to improve morale among the country's 13,800 Army reserve.
A Defence Department spokesman said that the possibility of tours overseas would be "thought out over the course of the implementation" of the report's recommendations.
One of the most important issues to be looked at was guaranteeing volunteers' job would still be there for them on their return to Ireland, he added. Provision would have to be made in legislation to protect people's jobs.
The Department says that, as well as being a major morale booster, if a situation arose where there was difficulty getting the numbers for a tour of duty abroad, it would be very beneficial to have the Army Reserve to draw upon.
While this had never been an issue in the permanent Defence Forces before, allowing reserves serve abroad would be especially beneficial where he or she had special skills in the area of mechanics, ordnance disposal or medical expertise.
"If we had a shortage, we could dip into the reserves, particularly in the skilled areas," the Department spokesman said. "There are times when specific skills can be hard to find, for example a dentist or a doctor. It can be hard to get a medic to serve overseas."
Among recommendations to the minister earlier this year were that the traditional strengths of the reserve system be preserved, such as "the spirit of individual voluntary commitment and the close links with local communities."
The aim, says the Department, is to achieve standardisation and inter-operability between the permanent Defence Forces and Reserve Force in respect of both dress and personal equipment being issued to individuals.
Reserves have been issued with the new standard Army camouflage-style uniform and Steyr rifles.
In districts where there are no reserve units, it is proposed to deal with this.
Kathy Donaghy
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