Government Approves New High-Level Command and Control Arrangements for the Defence Forces

Government Approves New High-Level Command and Control Arrangements for the Defence Forces

The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, today (July 2) received Government approval to prepare the necessary legislation to provide for the reform of high-level Command and Control of the Defence Forces.

The reforms will reflect recommendations made by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) including the creation of a new position of Chief of Defence (CHoD) as well as a Vice Chief of Defence and Service Chiefs for land, air and sea – Army, Air Force and Navy.

This will ensure parity of esteem across the three services and is in line with international norms. It will modernise and transform how our Defence Forces operate and will be key to how Ireland manages its defence strategy.

Welcoming today’s Government approval, the Tánaiste said: “Since becoming Minister for Defence, it has been my priority to drive forward with the changes needed to modernise our Defence Forces. The current legislation around how our Defence Forces are structured is simply not fit for purpose so I will bring forward reforms to bring it in line with the recommendations made in the Commission on the Defence Forces and also with international norms. This one of a range of measures introduced in the last 12 months that will fundamentally change our Defence Forces going forward.”

Responding to today’s Government decision, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy said, “I welcome today’s approval by Government of the Tánaiste’s proposal to modernise the Defence Forces command and control structures. The creation of a Chief of Defence appointment is a pivotal step in modernising our Force. These reforms were recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces, and I am confident that they will strengthen our strategic capabilities and operational effectiveness, ensuring we are better positioned to meet the evolving security threats of the future.”

As outlined in the CoDF, a new command and control structure will be introduced over time. The will include the dissolution of the current two Deputy Chief of Staff posts and their replacement by the three Service Chiefs as well as a Joint Force Commander.

In addition to the military positions, there are currently two Assistant Secretary positions as part of the Defence Board, as Heads of Strategic HR and Transformation. This new management structure will ensure that there is strong governance, accountability and transparency in terms of how the Defence Forces operate.

Ends.

Notes for Editors

• Control of the military by a civilian, elected Executive is a fundamental principle of all western democracies. This principle has served the State well and the new structures will reinforce it, with the Minister for Defence retaining the right to command the Defence Forces on behalf of the Government. While this command shall be exercised through the CHOD, the Minister will retain the right of direct access to the Service Chiefs.

• The Constitutional role of the President of Ireland as Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence Forces remains unchanged by these proposals.

• The Tánaiste’s proposal to proceed with these recommendations follows extensive work on governance and oversight arrangements, which is significant, complex and sensitive and involves a fundamental review of the current regulatory framework governing the relationship between the Minister for Defence, the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence.

• The Secretary General of the Department of Defence remains as Accounting Officer.

• The four recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) related to reform of high-level Command and Control encompass the following:

1. The creation of a Chief of Defence (CHoD), supported by a Vice CHoD, with the appropriate military command and control authority of the Defence Forces at the strategic level;

2. The creation of a Defence Forces’ Headquarters that will report to the CHoD, who will be assisted by the A/CHoD and the Head of Transformation;

3. The creation of three Service Chiefs, and Deputy Service Chiefs, for the land, air and maritime forces, and a Joint Force Commander, who should also be the Vice-CHoD, supported by a Deputy Commander.

4. The Army, Air Corps and Naval Service should become services, have service headquarters, and have parity of esteem.

• The new legislation will make the appropriate statutory amendments, in particular to the Defence Act 1954 and to the Defence (Amendment) Act 1998, in line with recommendations by the Commission on the Defence Forces in order to:

o give the Minister for Defence power to delegate Command to the newly created post of Chief of Defence (CHoD) as head of the Defence Forces;

o affirm and enhance governance structures managing the defence of the State;

o reconfigure the high level structure of the Defence Forces; and

o amend the Defence Act 1954 so as to dissolve the Council of Defence

• The Council of Defence was established by the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 and currently exists on the basis of the Defence Act 1954. The Council is composed of the Minister for Defence (Chair), Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff (Ops), Deputy Chief of Staff (Sp) and the Secretary General of the Department of Defence. There hasn’t been a requirement for a formal convening of the Council since 1987. In view of the other mechanisms that have been put in place in the meantime, it is considered prudent now to dissolve the Council of Defence.

• Pursuant to Article 13.4 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, “The supreme command of the Defence Forces is hereby vested in the President.” Under the Defence Act 1954, military command is exercised by the Government through the Minister for Defence.