Is it possible to join RDF/PDF if your a member of a political party?

DarkMuse

I was just wondering if you could, I read somewhere when you join the PDF you have to say you won't join a party but what if your already a member?

Hagar

AFAIK you may neither join nor subscribe to any political parties. Which I imagine means you must leave the party.

Have a look a the Defence Force Acts in the Useful Links sticky above and input the word "political" as a search term.

The relevent pages are in Chapter 1 pages 67,74,75.

Steyr

Ya your not allowed to join a party, especially those "subversive" ones.

testicle

I see all the barrack room lawyers are out in force, and they're all wrong as usual.

Short Answer, PDF no, RDF yes.

PDF oath on enlistment : I, ................, do solemnly swear (or declare) that I will be faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution and that while I am a member of the Defence Forces I will obey all lawful orders issued to me by my superior officers and that while I am a member of the Permanent Defence Force I will not join or be a member of or subscribe to any political organisation or society or any secret society whatsoever and that, if I become a member of the Reserve Defence Force, I will not, while I am a member of the Reserve Defence Force, join or be a member of or subscribe to any secret society whatsoever.

RDF oath on enlistment : I, ................, do solemnly swear (or declare) that I will be faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution and that while I am a member of the Reserve Defence Force I will obey all lawful orders issued to me by my superior officers and will not join or be a member of or subscribe to an secret society whatsoever.

PDF oath on commissioning : I, ................, do solemnly swear (or declare) that I will be faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution and that while I am an officer of the Permanent Defence Force I will obey all lawful orders issued to me by my superior officers and will not join or be a member of or subscribe to any political organisation or society or any secret society whatsoever.

RDF oath on commissioning : I, ................, do solemnly swear (or declare) that I will be faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution and that while I am an officer of the Reserve Defence Force I will obey all lawful orders issued to me by my superior officers and will not join or be a member of or subscribe to any secret society whatsoever.

Hagar

You have a point. However in my own defence your Honour, I reponded to the question posed by the OP in the thread which is not quite the same as the thread title.*

Just as an aside, is the Minister for Defence as CIC of the DF technically a "member" of the DF?
Is there a contradiction there somewhere as he is obviously a member of a Political Party?


* Now that's a real Barrackroom Lawyer at work.

testicle

CIC is the President, not the Minister, and no, is not technically, or otherwise a member of the Defence Forces.

DarkMuse

oh and I know its offtopic but what is AFAIK? I seem to be seeing it everywhere:rolleyes:

Hagar

As far as I know it means as far as I know.:D

Jo King

As a matter of interest the late Charlie Haughey resigned his commission in the FCA on his election to the Dail in 1957. Michael Bell who was a Labour TD for Louth also resigned his commission in the FCA on election to the Dail in the 1980's.

DarkMuse

Hagar wrote:

As far as I know it means as far as I know.:D

Ah, and here was me thinking it was some complicated "in" military term:p

Ruen

AFAIK The President is the Supreme Commander of the DF and the President is a-political so either way membership of a political party isnt an issue for her.

cushtac

Ruen wrote:

AFAIK The President is the Supreme Commander of the DF and the President is a-political so either way membership of a political party isnt an issue for her.

It's not an issue because she's not a member of the Defence Forces.

Ruen

Thanks for that cushtac:rolleyes:

cushtac

You're welcome :rolleyes:

BTW the Presidency is not apolitical, it is a very political role & most if not all of Ireland's presidents have belonged to one of the major political parties. There's also nothing in the Constitution that bars the President from being a member of a political party.