The Defence Forces (Irish: Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled Óglaigh na hÉireann) are the armed forces of Ireland. They encompass the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, and Reserve Defence Forces.
The Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces is the President of Ireland. All Defence Forces officers hold their commission from the President, but in practice, the Minister for Defence acts on the President’s behalf and reports to the Government of Ireland. The Minister for Defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the Department of Defence.
As of May 2023, there were 7,764 permanent personnel in the Defence Forces out of an established strength of 9,500, a decrease from September 2020 when there were 8,529 personnel, comprising 6,878 Army, 752 Air Corps and 899 Naval Service personnel. There were also 1,706 personnel in the Reserve Defence Force out of an established strength of 4,069.