Infantry Corps (Ireland)

Irish Army Infantry Corps
Irish: An Cór Coisithe
Flag of the Irish Army Infantry Corps
Active	1 October 1924 – present
Country	Ireland
Branch	Army
Type	Light Infantry
Role	Multiple roles
Size	7 Battalions, 1 Independent Companies 1 Infantry Battalion - Galway 3 Infantry Battalion - Kilkenny 6 Infantry Battalion - Athlone 7 Infantry Battalion - Dublin 12 Infantry Battalion - Limerick 27 Infantry Battalion - Dundalk 28 Infantry Battalion - Ballyshannon 1 Mechanised Infantry Company, DFTC - Curragh
Part of	Defence Forces

The Infantry Corps (Irish: An Cór Coisithe) is the largest component of the Irish Army. Infantry soldiers are regarded as operational troops who must be prepared for tactical deployment in any location at short notice. In wartime this means that they will be among the front line troops in the defence of the State. In peacetime however they can be seen daily performing operational duties in Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) such as providing escorts to cash, prisoner or explosive shipments, patrols of vital state installations and border patrols, including check points.

The infantry corps consists of a total of seven battalions. A single company, "1 Mechanised Infantry Company", has now replaced "B Company" of the "3rd Infantry Battalion", long stationed at the Defence Forces Training Centre, Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare. It served as the main training unit for crew of the Mowag Armoured Personnel Carrier.

An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe (English: The First Infantry Battalion) was established as an Irish language speaking unit in Galway in 1924. The role of An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe was seen as very important as far as the status and use of the first official language (Irish) of the State was concerned. All the armed forces units except An Chéad Cathlán functioned exclusively through the medium of the State's second official language (English). In modern times, the use of Irish as a working language in Óglaigh na hÉireann would appear to have been abandoned, even in An Chéad Chathlán. The then Minister for Defence, Mr O'Toole (on 4 December 1986) presented details regarding the recruitment of native Irish speakers to An Chéad Chathlán. These details show that no recruit from a Gaeltacht area was enlisted into the battalion in 1983. Under the 'Defence Forces [sic] Scheme' 2006-2009 ( under Section 11 of the Official Languages Act 2003) Óglaigh na hÉireann have undertaken to improve the delivery of services in Irish to the public. The aim of the Official Languages Act 2003 is to increase and improve in an organised manner over a period of time the quantity and quality of services provided for the public through Irish by public bodies. The legislation intends to create a space for the language in public affairs in Ireland.,