Statement from the Minister for Defence Éamon Ó Cuív TD

On the 3rd March 2011, I gave a direction to the Department of Defence that the re-organisation of the Defence Forces should progress on the basis that

(1)    a full strength Irish speaking Battalion (An Chéad Chath) based in Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa, Renmore Barracks, Galway, the nearest barracks to the largest Gaeltacht in the country, will be retained in the re-organisation of the Defence Forces currently under consideration; and

(2)     the Equitation School of the Defence Forces will be retained in the review of the Defence Vote programmes and expenditure arising from the National Recovery Plan 2011 – 2014.

As Minister for Defence I believe it is fundamental to the whole character of the Irish Army that it would have an Irish speaking battalion and that it is logical that that Battalion would be based in the barracks nearest the largest Gaeltacht in the country. The Céad Chath has had a proud history in the Defence Forces and the retention of this Irish speaking Battalion is of major significance to the Army and the country and is in line with the commitments given in the Straitéis Fiche Bliain don Ghaeilge, the Twenty Year Strategy for the Irish Language, where the retention and promotion of the Irish language in both An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces is a clear objective.

In relation to the Equitation School which was founded in the 1920s, the investment in the Equitation School is minimal compared to the promotion that the School gives to the Irish horse at home and abroad and the reputational benefit to be gained by having army riders participate at prestigious shows throughout the world. As one of the foremost horse breeding nations, it is very important that we retain every element of the promotion of horses in this country. The Equitation School has a proud record in representing Ireland and I believe that in whatever reorganisation takes place in the Defence Forces, that the Equitation School should be maintained.