Chief of staff is a three-star general rank, and the holder of this post has authority and responsibility in respect to all staff duties relating to the management of the Irish Defence Forces.
The Army is the land warfare branch of the Irish Defence Forces and consists of two brigades, a training centre, providing training to all the defense forces, and other units, including musical units.
The 1st Brigade is headquartered at Collins Barracks in Cork. The brigade is responsible for the counties of Carlow, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford.4
The 2nd Brigade is headquartered at the Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin. The brigade is responsible for the counties of Cavan, Donegal, Dublin, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath, and Wicklow.6
The Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC) based at the Curragh Camp is provides professional training to the Irish Army:
The Army Reserve is a part-time, voluntary organisation established on 1 October 2005, whose members round out regular army units. The Army Reserve is present at the following locations:17
The infantry battalions of the Irish Army are organized as follows:
The Air Corps is the air branch of the Irish Defence Forces. Headed by a brigadier general it comprises a staff headquarters, two operational wings, two support wings, one independent squadron and the Air Corps College.
No 1 Operations Wing operates the fixed-wing assets of the Air Corps.32 The wing is divided into four flying and two non-flying squadrons:
No 3 Operations Wing is operates all Air Corps helicopters,34 and is divided into three squadrons. It provides pilots for the Emergency Aeromedical Service, the air ambulance service which is jointly operated by the Air Corps and the HSE National Ambulance Service.
No 4 Support Wing carries out second line maintenance and manages the procurement of spares and aviation fuel.35 This formation has two squadrons.
No 5 Support Wing is responsible for the logistic support for the Air Corps and the management and security of Casement Aerodrome.36
Main article: Air Corps College (Ireland)
The Air Corps College is the principal training unit of the Irish Air Corps, where all entrants into the service undertake their training. The College is divided into three distinct schools:37
The Naval Service is the sea branch of the Irish Defence Forces. Headed by a brigadier general it comprises a staff headquarters, two commands, and the Naval College.
Naval Operations Command is the command component of the Irish Naval Service responsible for all day-to-day activities of the service, both at sea and on shore.
Naval Support Command oversees the personnel, logistical and technical resources of the Naval Service, allowing the service to meets its operational and training commitments. Ship procurement, maintenance, repair, provisions, ordnance, food, fuel, personnel and transportation are handled by Naval Support Command.44
The Naval College provides training to cadets, non-commissioned officers, and recruits of the Naval Service. The Naval College trains and educates personnel for service, providing a mixture of different courses ranging from officer training right through to Naval Engineering. The Naval College is based out of the Naval Service's headquarters at Naval Base Haulbowline but also provides classes and lessons in non-military naval training at the nearby National Maritime College of Ireland in Ringaskiddy.50
The Naval Service Reserve is the reserve force of the Naval Service. Its personnel supplements the crew of vessels of the Naval Service during operations, and conducts stand-alone operations within their respective ports, such as security duties, sighting reports and intelligence gathering.
"About the General Staff". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/the-general-staff/about-the-general-staff/ ↩
"Defence Forces School of Music". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/defence-forces-school-of-music/ ↩
"The Equitation School". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/equitation-school/ ↩
"1st Brigade". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/1-brigade/ ↩
"Artillery Corps". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/army-corps/artillery-corps/ ↩
"2nd Brigade". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/2-brigade/ ↩
"The Military College". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/defence-forces-training-centre/the-military-college/ ↩
"The Infantry School". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/defence-forces-training-centre/the-military-college/infantry-school/ ↩
"Schools of the DFTC". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/defence-forces-training-centre/schools-of-the-dftc/ ↩
"Army Reserve Locations". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/reserve-defence-forces/army-reserve/army-reserve-locations/ ↩
"Reserve Defence Forces Contacts". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/contact-us/reserve-defence-forces-contacts/ ↩
"Defence Forces Permanent Barracks". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/contact-us/defence-forces-barracks/ ↩
"Infantry Corps". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/army-corps/infatnry-corps/ ↩
"Company Level Weapons". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/weapons/company-level-weapons/ ↩
"Battalion Level Weapons". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/army/weapons/battalion-level-weapons/ ↩
"Air Corps Headquarters". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/about-the-air-corps/air-corps-headquarters/ ↩
"CIS Squadron". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/about-the-air-corps/cis-squadron/ ↩
"No 1 Operations Wing". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/about-the-air-corps/no-1-operations-wing/ ↩
"Irish Air Corps to Acquire Two New Maritime Patrol Aircraft". Flying in Ireland. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://flyinginireland.com/2019/12/irish-air-corps-to-acquire-two-new-maritime-patrol-aircraft/ ↩
"No 3 Operations Wing". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/about-the-air-corps/no-3-operations-wing/ ↩
"No 4 Support Wing". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/about-the-air-corps/no-4-support-wing/ ↩
"No 5 Support Wing". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/about-the-air-corps/no-5-support-wing/ ↩
"Air Corps College". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 17 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/air-corps/air-corps-college/ ↩
"Naval Operations Command". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/about-the-naval-service/naval-operations-command/ ↩
"Fisheries Monitoring Centre". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/specialist-units/fisheries-monitoring-centre/ ↩
"Naval Service Diving Section". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/specialist-units/diving-section/ ↩
"Naval Support Command". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/about-the-naval-service/naval-support-command/ ↩
"Naval Service College". Irish Defence Forces. Retrieved 18 May 2020. https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/naval-service-college/ ↩