Ah here.
Yesterday’s Business Post.
Thanks David Wall
Tag Archives: Defence Forces
Raising the Russian simulation of an attack off the coast of Donegal, @BerryCathal says Ireland is seen as a weak spot in the EU and we are at the mercy of ‘rogue states like the Russian Federation’.@MichealMartinTD agrees there is a need to strengthen the Defence Forces pic.twitter.com/vZw0WvoEIF
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 4, 2022
This afternoon.
Escalating.
Yesterday: Nyet
Get Back
at
This morning.
Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris warding off the media as he launched the Innovation Exchange, a €5m collaboration between Skillnet Ireland and Dublin BIC ‘which aims to connect Irish SMEs with global businesses’.
Minister Harris has also announced €2.4 million (yes, two and a half big ones) in funding for the Defence Forces to ‘develop solutions to challenges facing them’. It may allow them to purchase an old Soviet tank and a cache of helmets used in the Falklands.
The Few
at
This afternoon.
To the bunkers.
The Commission on the Defence Forces report into the ‘capabilities, structures and staffing of the Defence Forces’ has been published.
Via RTÉ News:
‘Maintaining the status quo on its current level would leave the Defence Forces unable to conduct a meaningful defence of the State against acts of aggression from conventional military forces
The second level would bring “enhanced capability”, which would allow for the acquisition of radar and coastal radar systems.
It would also strengthen military intelligence and cyber defence, along with an upgrade of the naval fleet.
The third and most radical level of ambition, would give Ireland the military capabilities of similarly sized countries in the EU and would require an increased budget of 2.5 to three times the size.
It would see the Defence Forces naval vessels increase from nine to at least 12, and the acquisition of a squadron of combat aircraft.
Current Defence Forces’ capabilities leaves State without credible protection – report (RTE)
Back Channel
at
From top: Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy (left) and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney; Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury Anatoliyevich Filatov
This morning.
Via RTÉ News:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has spoken of his surprise that the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, met the Russian ambassador to Ireland last Friday.
Mr Coveney made the comments at last night’s meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party.
In late November 2021, Mr Filatov requested a courtesy call with Lieutenant General Clancy and the meeting was arranged for late January 2022.
The meeting was held on 21 January in the Chief of Staff’s Office, McKee Barracks, Dublin.
Meanwhile…
John Brady, Sinn Fein’s Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Defence, has accused Mr Coveney of “undermining” the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy with his comments about meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Ireland.
Mr Coveney “took it upon himself in a public way” to make these comments and that it was “poor judgement” to do this, Mr Brady said.
Last night: Détente
Warning issued over Russian Navy exercises in February (RTE)
Last night.
The Defence Forces conducted a military exercise in the Poolbeg Area, Dublin Docks between 9pm and 1am.
The exercise, titled Exercise Viking Landing II, involved army recruits being exposed to the ‘contingencies, complexities and irregularities of urban warfare’ against the unvaxxed population.
Save Poolbeg (and yourselves).
Defence Forces conduct military exercise in Dublin (RTÉ)
Pic: RTÉ
Deten-shun
at
At ease.
This afternoon.
Baggott Street, Dublin 2.
Brigadier General Brendan McGuinness, Commander of the Defence Forces COVID-19 Joint Taskforce, and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly at the technical briefing on Mandatory Hotel Quarantine in the Department of Health this afternoon.
The Defence Forces will be responsible for overseeing the mandatory detention of hot spot visitors in hotels at Dublin Airport.
Soldiers will be armed to the teeth and many are trained in close, hand-to-hand combat and giving ‘Chinese burns’.
Should anyone be thinking of making a run for it.
Or planning an escape committee to tunnel out.
This afternoon.
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
The Aviva Stadium Community Testing Centre where members of the Defence Forces are supporting the HSE in a swab-as-you-drive initiative.
Gulp.
This afternoon.
College Street, Dublin 2.
Name that APC, anyone?
Pic by Nick
Mercenary
at
Army Ranger Wing members in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare
Donohoe and Kehoe announcing report of public service pay commission on Defence Forces pay – includes a 10% increase in the ‘military service allowance’, though some DF members say that will gain only €450 gross per year pic.twitter.com/iE3u24WgUr
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 4, 2019
Other increases will see the Army Ranger Wing – members of which are about to be deployed to Mali on UN work – increased by about €1k pa
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 4, 2019
Hmm.
Govt says €10m annual package will improve Defence Forces pay (RTE)