Ireland

Flag of Ireland

Previous reports: 2023/24




Conscription currently imposed? No Has never existed. Could be imposed in emergency under Article 54 of the 1954 Defence Act.
Conscientious objection first recognised No provision ever made, but has co-sponsored CO resolutions in the UN Human Rights Council.
CO release of professional soldiers – "Discharge by purchase" possible, but not during state of emergency.
Minimum recruitment age 18
Population 1
Total % males 15-19 Thus approx. annual cohort reaching 18
5,233,461 3.3% 34,541
Armed forces
Total strength Of which conscripts Compared to annual cohort above
7,400 – Total strength is 21.4% of cohort
Military expenditure
$ (% change from 2023) Per capita % of GDP
1,331m (+3.0%) $254 0.2%
  1. Population and armed forces figures are derived from The Military Balance 2025, published by the international Institute for Strategic Studies; military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2025. ⤴