Despite its peacekeeping tradition, Ireland’s military has been undersized and is reassessing its needs to ensure sovereignty in a more contested threat environment. This confluence of wages, conditions, and lack of opportunities have led to what has been described as an “existential crisis” for Ireland’s military. In 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces reported 13,569 combined permanent and reserves, while the most recent reports indicate 9,900 combined forces. Under the requirement, up to 12 members of the Irish Defence Forces can be sent on an overseas mission without triggering the lock. LOA 1 denotes that Ireland’s security forces would not be able to defend against a sustained military campaign against the nation.