A Donegal man is one of 29 new army officers to be sworn in at a commissioning ceremony in Kildare today.
Conor O’Brien from Ballybofey is one of the new Irish officers along with 6 Maltese officers at the Defence Forces Training Centre today.
The 35 cadets have successfully completed a 15 month cadetship, preparing them to take up appointments as junior leaders throughout the Army and the Armed Forces of Malta.
In receiving this Presidential Commission, the new officers will take an oath of allegiance to be “faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution”.
The ceremony takes place at 3 o’clock this afternoon.
Meanwhile
It’s emerged that some members of the Defence Forces are still being paid a “border allowance” – despite being nowhere near the border.
The allowance used to be paid to soldiers who were based near the border with Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
It was scrapped in 2009 for new entrants, but can’t be taken off the soldiers who used to get it, unless they’re bought out.
Maurice Quinn from the Department of Defence admits that means some soldiers, who are nowhere near the border, still get the payment:
