Ireland

13/05/1997

1 Conscription

conscription does not exist

Conscription has never existed in Ireland.

Art. 28 of the Constitution and art. 54 of the 1954 Defence Act state that conscription may be introduced in case of national emergency. [1]

There is no further legislative provision for conscription and there never has been since Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in 1922. [2]

recruitment

The minimum age at which a person can join the Irish Defence Forces is 17.

Volunteers sign up for a period they themselves determine, the required minimum being three years followed by six years in the Reserve Defence Force. [4]

2 Conscientious objection

There is no actual regulation on conscientious objection. However, a soldier objecting the role of the armed forces can seek discharge at any time. [1] [4]

3 Desertion

No information available.

5 History

Ireland has no history of conscription. During the First World War when the whole of Ireland was an integral part of the United Kingdom (UK), conscription was never extended to Ireland. (Neither was the UK conscription extended to Northern Ireland during the Second World War.) [2]

6 Annual statistics

The armed forces comprise 12,700 troops, which is 0.45 percent of the population. [3]

Sources

[1] War Resisters' International 1990. Country report. WRI, London. [2] Peace Pledge Union 1997. Corrections to the draft report. Peace Pledge Union, London. [3] Institute for Strategic Studies 1997. Military Balance 1997/98. ISS, London. [4] UN Commission on Human Rights, 1994. Report of the Secretary-General prepared pursuant to Commission resolution 1993/84 (and Addendum). United Nations, Geneva.

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