OP BANNER

[Twenty One]

The end is in sight:The Royal Irish Regiment Northern Ireland.

The RIR is to be disbanded in NI as part of a major plan to cut troops numbers in the province.

Military authorities plan to scrap all three home service battalions,comprising nearly 3,000 soldiers under a new deal to break the deadlock in the peace process.

Army chiefs have already drawn up redundancy npackages and held talks withTRADE UNION representatives to discuss the future of civilian staff affected by the move.

The end of Operation Banner will inevitably mean the disbandment of the Home Service element of the RIR.

TheIrish governments have already publshed their joint declaration setting out plans to slash troop levels from 14,000 to garrison strength of 5,000.

The most crucial aspects of this involves putting the Royal Irish's three Battalions,currently based in Holywood,County Down,Armagh City and Omagh out of service.the plans do not affect the regiments first Battalion
based in Kent.


story filed: 18:27 Tuesday 27th May 2003 Ananova

[harry hackedoff]

Refer the problem to their bosses in Brussels, of course.
What`s the differance between the "Peace Process" and a one-way street?
Nack-all
Adams and his fellow gangsters must be rubbing their hands with glee.
Still, never mind, hey? You`re all "Europeans" now
What`s Trimble saying about this, lads?
Aye,

[Tab]

Anything to keep the IRA happy.

[Midshipman786]

right without someone getting all worked up, can someone tell me if these RIR home service battalions constitute a "normal" military presence?

an i mean normal as in relation to the mainland, are their numbers really needed? or is it just an excuse to attack govt appeasement of the IRA? (sorry but it has to be asked)

and if there is a lasting peace, wont there be a big reduction in troops anyway?