The Defence Forces will review their recruitment procedures in an attempt to attract people from a broader range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea said yesterday that he has asked the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps to seek recruits from non-Irish backgrounds.
Although 10 per cent of the Irish population is now born outside of Ireland, very few of the 10,500 members of the Defence Forces are from elsewhere. So few, in fact, that there are no statistics available on the ethnic backgrounds of Defence Forces members.
A wider mix of recruits would benefit the forces, Mr O'Dea said.
"The benefits of cultural and ethnic diversity will enhance the overall capabilities of the Defence Forces. It is important for the organisation to reflect the society from which it is drawn," added Mr O'Dea.
One obvious benefit of foreign-born recruits was language skills, said a Defence Forces spokesman. It might also make it easier for the armed services to find people with specific skills, such as doctors. The forces have a shortage of doctors, the spokesman confirmed.
Some 600 people are recruited each year, said the spokesman, but the majority of them are Irish-born. Any EU national is eligible to apply to join the military, and people from other countries must have been granted residency to live here. The forces may print recruitment material in different languages, said the spokesman.
Mr O'Dea said there were "substantial" inquiries on a regular basis from members of ethnic groups regarding opportunities in the organisation.
"However, the primary focus in recruitment is to attract people with the core competencies required by the Defence Forces," noted a statement from the Department of Defence.
Last year, Mr O'Dea made it easier for women to join the Defence Forces by reducing the minimum height requirement from 162.56cm (5ft 4in) to 157.48cm (5ft 2in). This meant that 90 per cent, rather than 60 per cent, of women were now eligible for recruitment.