Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There has been an ongoing and mutually beneficial relationship between the Irish Defence Forces and Armed Forces of Malta since 2009, which has seen Maltese personnel train alongside Irish Cadets. There is currently one Maltese cadet in training in the Cadet School with the 99th cadet class, which is due to be commissioned in Q1 2024.

While the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) did request a place in the most recent intake (the 100th class), the Defence Forces advised that they were unable to facilitate that request on this occasion. As part of the Defence Forces’ consolidation of operations and training, a review of training procedures highlighted the need to consolidate training resources at the Cadet School and, as a result, the DF were unable to provide a place to AFM this year.

Notwithstanding this decision, which relates only to the Cadet School, the ongoing mutually beneficial relationship that has existed between the Defence Forces and the Armed Forces of Malta since 2009 is acknowledged. Indeed, reflecting that relationship, the Defence Forces have offered places to the AFM on less resource-heavy courses, such as the Land Component Staff Course, the Joint Command & Staff Course and Non-Commissioned Officer courses. This would allow the cooperative arrangement to continue, while focusing on other areas of professional military development that could be beneficial to Maltese military personnel.

In addition, Ireland’s long and proud tradition of international peacekeeping continues to be enhanced by way of cooperation with AFM in UNIFIL, where Maltese personnel have formed part of IRISHPOLBATT since 2018. That close relationship is reflected in the deployment to UNIFIL this month of nine Maltese members with the 123rd Infantry Battalion.

A Memorandum of Understanding covers this bilateral arrangement to embed personnel from Armed Forces Malta with the Irish battalion in UNIFIL.

In February of this year, my Department wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Security, Reform and Equality in Malta, notifying that, following a review of training procedures and a requirement to consolidate training resources at the Cadet School specifically, the Defence Forces had advised that this cooperative arrangement could, in future, focus on other professional developmental military courses that would be beneficial to Maltese military personnel.

Following receipt of the Defence Forces’ advice with regard to a place in the Cadet School, my Department wrote to the AFM essentially setting out all of the foregoing.

The table below details the number of cadet placements requested by the Armed Forces of Malta and the number facilitated by the Irish Defence Forces for the period 2009-2023.

Of the 66 who were accepted into the Cadet School, 59 successfully completed Cadet training and were commissioned as officers. One further AFM Cadet is due to be commissioned in March 2024.