The Defence Forces reported nearly 140 dangerous incidents involving personnel over the past two years, including an explosion, vehicle collisions, weapon-related issues, and an injury sustained during “horseplay”, reports Breaking News.
The military stated that of the 138 reportable incidents in 2024 and 2025, 16 were classified as major and 122 as moderate, reports Breaking News.
The major incidents each resulted in “long-term disability [or] incapacity,” including two classified as “exposure to psychological hazards” – one linked to a traumatic event and another where information was wrongly disclosed, reports Breaking News.
Of the remaining major incidents, three were related to motor crashes, while 11 were classified as “exposure to physical hazards”, reports Breaking News.
The log indicated that these included injuries sustained during sport or physical training, as well as slips, trips, or falls caused by protruding objects or uneven terrain, reports Breaking News.
Records released under FOI also detailed two incidents involving weapons, reports Breaking News.
One involved exposure to loud noise, while the other concerned an injury related to “temperature” during weapon handling, reports Breaking News.
Three incidents required medical attention due to exposure to hazardous “atmospheric [or] environmental conditions”, reports Breaking News.
One injury was caused by a direct physical assault, while another resulted from “unintentional aggressive behaviour”, reports Breaking News.
The log also recorded one case of a Defence Forces member injured by an explosion, reports Breaking News.
Other incidents included a soldier bitten by insects or an animal, and one injury caused by equipment failure or malfunction, reports Breaking News.
Fifteen injuries were attributed to “human [or] user error”, including incidents involving mechanical components and chemical products, reports Breaking News.
The Defence Forces reported 19 personnel injured during physical training or sport, as well as 21 hurt by “rough terrain” or “irregular surfaces”, reports Breaking News.
Six staff members were injured after slipping or falling due to “surface contaminants”, and 24 cases were listed with an “unknown” cause, reports Breaking News.
Of the 138 incidents, 13 involved Air Corps personnel, 27 involved the Naval Service, 20 were linked to the Training Centre at the Curragh, with the remainder involving Army units or Defence Forces HQ, reports Breaking News.
Commenting on the records, a spokesperson said: “For all Defence Forces activities, a comprehensive risk assessment is prepared to mitigate against incidents which arise from military training, exercises and activities,
“However, given the robustness of military service, personnel still may be injured in the course of performing their duties. The Defence Forces Medical Corps provides medical support to these personnel, focusing on primary care and if required, referral to external medical services,” reports Breaking News.
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