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Just a reminder that the Irish Government couldn't mobilise its Reserve Defence Forces in the midst of a Global Pandemic because there isn't legislation to support an Aid to Civil Authority call up.
The Irish Government did deploy Officer Cadets who hadn't completed their training (and didn't pay them military service allowance)
They appealed to veterans to reenlist under less favourable T&Cs (then stalled & rejected most of the applications)
They even deployed the bands.
They appealed to veterans to reenlist under less favourable T&Cs (then stalled & rejected most of the applications)
They even deployed the bands.
Technically, the Irish Government could have deployed the Reserve Defence Force had they declared a period of emergency, but the last time they did that was WW2.
So I am sure that the Govt of the day did not consider that an option for fear of being criticsied for panicking.
So I am sure that the Govt of the day did not consider that an option for fear of being criticsied for panicking.
Even if they did declare a period of emergency, the casual approach to the employment of Reservists & the lack of legislation to qualify the employment status of Reservists once they are mobilised is indicative of the lack of planning that supports the Defence White Paper policy
Arguably, there may have been limited utility for Reservists. Medically qualified Reservists were already working in a civilian capacity, but I'm sure the Irish State could have benefited from the engineering, tech, admin & logistics talent in the Reserve https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52130121
It is not too late to save the Reserve Defence Force, but time is running out.
To maintain current Government policies is to squander the invaluable resource that is the Reserve Defence Force.
The Commission on the Defence Forces needs to address this as a matter of urgency.
To maintain current Government policies is to squander the invaluable resource that is the Reserve Defence Force.
The Commission on the Defence Forces needs to address this as a matter of urgency.
