Ministers have given the go-ahead for the preparation of new legislation which will reflect recommendations made by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF), including the creation of a new position of chief of defence (CHoD).

There will also be a vice-chief of defence and service chiefs for land, air and sea — Army, Air Force and Navy — to “ensure parity of esteem across the three services… in line with international norms”.

Tánaiste and defence minister Micheál Martin said: “Since becoming minister for defence, it has been my priority to drive forward with the changes needed to modernise our Defence Forces.

“The current legislation around how our Defence Forces are structured is simply not fit for purpose so I will bring forward reforms to bring it in line with the recommendations made in the Commission on the Defence Forces and also with international norms.

“This one of a range of measures introduced in the last 12 months that will fundamentally change our Defence Forces going forward.”

Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, chief of staff of the Defence Forces, added: “I welcome today’s approval by government of the Tánaiste’s proposal to modernise the Defence Forces command and control structures.

“The creation of a chief of defence appointment is a pivotal step in modernising our force. These reforms were recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces, and I am confident that they will strengthen our strategic capabilities and operational effectiveness, ensuring we are better positioned to meet the evolving security threats of the future.”

As outlined in the CoDF, a new command and control structure will be introduced over time. The will include the dissolution of the current two deputy chief of staff posts and their replacement by the three service chiefs as well as a joint force commander.

In addition to the military positions, there are currently two assistant secretary positions as part of the Defence board, as heads of strategic HR and transformation. This new management structure “will ensure that there is strong governance, accountability and transparency in terms of how the Defence Forces operate”, the government said.