The Minister for Defense is head of the Department and the Secretary General is the principal officer. As such, the Secretary General is the Minister's principal policy adviser, as well as the statutory Accounting Officer for all defense expenditure. The Department of Defense has both civil and military elements. There is no conscription. The total active manpower is around 10,500 soldiers.
The total manpower for the Irish Land Forces is around 8,430 soldiers. The land forces are comprised of three brigades, with each brigade designated a territorial area of responsibility.