President and the Defence Forces
Information
The President of Ireland is Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence Forces. Officers in the Defence Forces hold commissions from the President.
Under the Defence Act of 1954, military command is exercised by the Irish Government through the Minister for Defence who manages and controls the forces.
The Defence Forces in Ireland consist of;
- the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and
- the Reserve Defence Force (RDF).
The Permanent Defence Force in Ireland includes the Irish Army, Irish Naval Service and Irish Air Corps. The Reserve Defence Force consists of the Army Reserve and the Naval Reserve.
Page updated: 1 May 2008
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Related Documents
- Functions of the President of Ireland
The head of State in Ireland is known as the President. Find out about the important functions of the Irish President. - Supreme Court of Ireland
The Irish Constitution makes provision for a Court of Final Appeal - the Supreme Court. Find out about this court, which decides both civil and criminal matters. - Inauguration and removal of the President
This document describes the inauguration of the President of Ireland and the circumstances in which the President may be removed from office.
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