One of the key recommendations from CODF Report was to increase the future Reserve Defence Force (RDF) establishment strength to include at a minimum, an Air Force Reserve of 200, and to increase the establishment of the Naval Service Reserve (NSR) from 200 to 400, and this is being considered in the context of ongoing work on the future strength of the RDF, the wider work force planning and transformation of the Defence Forces and the development of the Air Corps and Naval Service.
The current establishment for the NSR is 200 personnel. The military authorities have advised that as of 31 December 2025, the latest date for which such figures are available, the strength of the NSR stood at 131 personnel.
The military authorities have provided the following information in respect of inductions and discharges in the NSR:
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-
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
Inductions
|
25
|
29
|
|
Discharges
|
5
|
14
|
There is no separate funding allocation for the NSR but rather funding is provided overall for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) which sufficiently meets the demands of both Army Reserve (AR) and NSR. In that context, the following table sets out the final RDF 2024 and 2025 budget allocation along with the total number of RDF Reserve Training and Support Days undertaken:
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-
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
Final Budget Allocation (RDF)
|
€3.2m
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€3.5m
|
|
Total RTSD's (RDF)
|
28,762
|
29,112
|
One of my key goals as Minister for Defence, is the ongoing modernisation of our Defence Forces and a vital part of this transformation process is the revitalising of the Reserve Forces, as identified and recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces. To support this regeneration, the RDF budget allocation for 2026 has been increased further to €4.535m.
