Irish joining Brit Army rocketing
Fears of drain on Defence Forces as 30% more aim for UK military
THERE was a sharp rise in the number of Irish people enlisting in the British Army last year.
According to figures from the Ministry of Defence, 810 people from the Republic were recruited to the UK regular forces over the past three years.
Another 120 signed up to become officers with a small number also signing up for the reserve forces, the MOD said.
Figures reveal how there was a nearly 30% rise in the number of Irish citizens enlisting in the regular army in the latest year for which figures are available.
They showed how 300 applications – or 0.33% of the total applications – came from the Republic of Ireland across the recruiting year of 2020 and 2021. That compared to 230 applications from Ireland in the previous period. A similar rise of around one-third was also seen in the officer ranks with 40 people from the Republic signing up last year, compared to 30 in the previous year.
Security analyst Declan Power said Ireland needed to step up to ensure its best young recruits and even serving members of the Defence Forces were not lost to the British forces.
He said: “I think unless action is taken to stem the flow of talent from the Defence Forces, not only will the UK option become more attractive, but highly skilled and experienced non-commissioned officers and junior officers may opt to sign off from the Defence Forces and take up with similar posts in the UK armed forces.
“The training doctrine for both armies is more or less the same and our rank qualifications are treated by them as virtually the same as theirs. “This means an artillery sergeant with would be snapped up by the UK and apart from a short conversion course, he’d resume service at his current rank – and with better opportunities for promotion.” A spokesman for the British Army said they were committed to recruiting and retaining the best people possible not just from the UK but also from a wide range of countries overseas. He added: “There is a long tradition of non-uk citizens, like those in the Republic of Ireland, serving in the British Army and we greatly value their commitment and service.”