Reserve Defence Forces

Reserve Defence Forces
Irish: Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca
Founded1 October 2005
Service branchesArmy Reserve
Naval Service Reserve
HeadquartersDirectorate of Reserve Forces, Operations Division DFHQ
Websitewww.military.ie/en/who-we-are/reserve-defence-forces/
Leadership
DCOS OpsMajor General Anthony McKenna
Director of Reserve ForcesColonel Colm Ó Luasa
Personnel
Reserve personnel1,720 personnel (Establishment: 4,069; Aug 2024)

The Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) (Irish: Na hÓglaigh Cúltaca) are the combined reserve components of the Irish Defence Forces. The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve (FLR) and an active Second Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve is composed of former members of the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) and, as of August 2024, had a strength of 167. The Second Line Reserve comprises the Army Reserve (AR) with, as of August 2024, a strength of 1,456 out of an established strength of 3,869, and the Naval Service Reserve (NSR), with a strength of 97 out of an established strength of 200.

The RDF was established on 1 October 2005 and replaced the Second Line Reserve, previously named An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCÁ) in the case of the AR, and An Slua Muirí in the case of the NSR. The Reserve has undergone significant reorganisation and modernisation in tandem with the Permanent Defence Forces as part of the "Single Force" concept.