More than 6,000 “modern” body armour units are being acquired for Defence Forces soldiers, the Tanaiste has said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Harris said a €16.5 million contract has been placed to invest in the protection of Defence Forces personnel.
The first deliveries will be made at the end of this year and the overall consignment will be delivered by the second quarter of 2026.
The new body armour system, designed in-house by a Defence Forces team, is expected to provide greater protection against ballistics and fragmentation.
It has been designed so it can be modified to enhance both its level of protection and the essential equipment attached to the system.
As well as the body armour, a set of new combat clothing system and combat helmets are also being sought through the tendering process.
Mr Harris said: “The safety of our Defence Forces personnel is a key priority for me as Minister for Defence and this supply of body armour will mean that our troops have access to state-of-the-art protection during their missions.
“The body armour that we are purchasing is both modern and fit-for-purpose and I look forward to its delivery later this year.
“This week I had the opportunity to visit Defence Forces personnel deployed to the Unifil mission in Lebanon.
“While there, I saw first hand the challenging and volatile environment that our peacekeepers operate in – further illustrating the need to ensure we properly invest in force protection.
“I want to thank our Defence Force personnel operating both at home and overseas for their continued service and dedication to the State.”
The Department of Defence has awarded a contract to Seyntex NV of Belgium for the supply of 6,105 body armour systems.
Speaking at a cadet commissioning ceremony at the Curragh on Friday, Mr Harris said that investment in Ireland’s security and defensive capabilities needed to take place “with a degree of urgency”.
He said that in particular more investment was needed in “the men and women of the Defence Forces”, as well as monitoring capabilities like radar and sonar.
“We’re part of the European Union. There is a war on the continent in Europe, the type of threats that countries face has changed significantly – hybrid and cyber – and we need to make sure that we’re prepared to protect and defend ourselves.”
