Corps of Engineers (Ireland)

Following the establishment of the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922 General Routine Orders were issued which laid down the organisation of the first centralised Defence Forces. From an engineering point of view there were three particular problem areas to be overcome:-

• The Barracks and Posts throughout the state were in great need of repair following the War of Independence and the Civil War.
• There was a general shortage of materials.
• Most of the railway system was in disarray with many towns cut off.

To meet these requirements three (3) Corps were set up:

• The Works Corps - to carry out repairs and reconstruction.
• The Salvage Corps - to recover materials from damaged buildings for use elsewhere.
• The Railway Protection, Repair and Maintenance Corps - to rebuild the railway system.

The Corps of Engineers was established and took over from these three Corps with effect from 1 October 1924.[1] In 1931 Field Engineer Companies and the School of Military Engineering were added to the establishment.

The Corps has a wide variety of roles, covering conventional warfare, and training for the Defence Forces.[1] With such a wide range of skills, the Engineer Corps provide a variety of support to the Army. This support includes anything from the provision of:

• Mobility
  • Clearing terrain obstacles
  • Constructing roads and bridges
  • Demining
• Counter mobility
  • Planting landmines
  • Digging trenches and ditches
  • Demolishing roads and bridges
  • Demolitions
• Survivability
  • Building fortifications
  • Camp Construction: Camp Clara (Monrovia, Liberia), Camp Clark (Kosovo)
• General Engineer Support
  • Counter Terrorist Search
  • Fire fighting & RTA
  • EOD
  • CBRN defence
  • Humanitarian Demining

The Corps have seen active service in UNMIK), Somalia (UNOSOM II), Congo (ONUC), Lebanon (UNIFIL), Liberia (UNMIL) & Chad (EUFOR Tchad/RCA) - where the Engineer Corps was deployed to construct Camp Ciara in advance of a contingent of more than 500 troops.

Army engineers were deployed alongside personnel from the Naval Service and NSR in early 2020 as part of Ireland's response to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).[2][3]

• Aardvark Midi Mine flail
• DOK-ING MV-4 Remotely Operated Mine flail
• Cyclops Mk4 Remotely Operated Vehicle
• Remote Firing Demolitions Equipment (BIRIS, PRIME, DRFD)
• Mabey Johnson Bridge
• Infantry Assault Bridge
• FFV 013 Area Defence Munition
• Rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIBs) (Delta 7 metre, Lencraft 5.1 metre dive, and Lencraft 7.5&6.5 metre intruder RIBs)

• 1st Engineer Group (Replaced 1st Field Engineer Company)
• 2nd Engineer Group (Replaced 4th Field Engineer Company)
• Engineer Section, Air Corps. Attached Irish Air Corps
• Engineer Section, Naval Service. Attached Irish Naval Service
• Engineer Group, Logistics Base Curragh

• 2nd Field Engineer Company
• 31st Field Engineer Company
• 62nd Field Engineer Company
• 54th Field Engineer Company

As in all aspects of society, legislative changes and technological advances have required workforces to become more specialised and more highly skilled. The Irish Defence Forces is no exception - requiring specialist skilled engineers.

Compared with Defence Forces in other countries e.g. British and French Armies, the number of engineers in the Irish Defence Forces is low, 5.5% against 8.8% and 12.8% respectively.

• 
  Bridge building
• 
  Demolition using Harick Shape Charges
• 
  Aardvark Joint Service Flail detonating an Anti-Tank Landmine
• 
  Installing Lighting Towers
• 
  Fire Service DFTC

• (in English) Official website