4 August 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork’s only senior Minister (Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D.) today launched a new recruitment campaign for General Service Recruits for the Army.
The campaign is seeking to recruit young men and women from all backgrounds and ethnic groups that possess a strong sense of duty, enjoy working as part of a team and are looking for a rewarding career. Personnel recruited in the current campaign will have significant opportunities for training and development, serving in a wide range of missions and operations at home and overseas. Speaking on the launch of the campaign, the Minister said, “Maintaining Ireland’s defence capacity means that we need to recruit young people who are committed, adventurous and enthusiastic and who will bring that energy to ensure that we continuously reinvigorate the modern Defence Forces. The Minister went on to say: “I am also committed to ensuring that we have a Permanent Defence Force that fully represents the modern Ireland in all of its dimensions, including gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation and the current campaign will endeavour to reach out to all those groups”. The Defence Forces are committed to full equality among all its personnel irrespective of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.
The new recruitment competition will be run through a centralised online application system on the Defence Forces Website www.military.ie. The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 4 September 2015. Applicants for recruitment to the Army will be required to complete a range of assessments including physical fitness, psychometric tests, an interview and a security check. To be eligible individuals must be over 18 and under 25 years of age on the closing date for receipt of applications.
In launching the campaign, the Minister confirmed that the Government is committed to maintaining the stabilised strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel and that this current campaign will enable this to be achieved. The Army enlist about 350 General Service Recruits annually. Assuming all phases of the new recruitment process are completed according to plan, enlistment of personnel from this new competition should commence in December 2015 and will continue thereafter.
“Today’s world is facing new and complex security challenges which also effect Ireland and which require a concerted and comprehensive response, including from our Defence Forces. The new White Paper of Defence, which will be launched later this month, will set new and challenging objectives for Ireland’s defence policy and for the Defence Forces at home and overseas for the next 10 years. I would really encourage men and women who are interested in a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling career in one of Europe’s most modern military forces, to go online to the Defence Forces Website or to contact their local barracks to get further information. Apply online and play your part”, the Minister said.
