MILITARY POLICE ARE reviewing how a US website obtained purportedly legitimate Defence Forces uniforms despite it being a criminal offence in Ireland to sell the items.
Although the website selling the wares said they were purchased “from reputable wholesale businesses based outside of Ireland”, a spokesperson for Defence Forces confirmed a probe is under way.
It is an offence under the Defence Act 1954 in Ireland to sell or purchase military property, including uniforms. It is also an offence to wear military uniforms if you are not a member of the Defence Forces. Similar legislation exists around garda uniforms.
Sources have said that there are concerns over uniforms falling into the hands of Dissident Republicans and dangerous individuals so that they can pose as State security services as has happened in the past with the IRA and other criminal organisations.
Internally, in both the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána, there are strict rules for members about where they can wear their uniforms.
For instance gardaí must obtain permission before leaving Ireland with a uniform to take part in events such as St Patrick’s Day Parades.
The sale of uniforms to people outside of those organisations is rigidly controlled by law.
The Journal found the military uniforms, with an apparent three-star private rank marking on at least one of the items, on the website of a company in the US.
The military uniform, worn by troops on active duty which in Ireland includes guard duty at the Dáil, the Central Bank and other sensitive locations, referenced the legal constraints on the sale and supply of the uniforms in Ireland.
The website sells and advertises itself as a hunting and place for enthusiasts to purchase military uniforms. It sells items of uniform from the French military, Greek, German, British, Belgian and Omanian armies.
The website described the sale as: “Paddyflage, Lepretarn, Irish DPM. This pattern is extremely rare, and possessing it in Ireland is a crime.
“Due to the ever-present Sectarian tensions in Ireland, very little Irish surplus is ever exported. In fact, we found one supplier who refused to ship their Irish DPM due to the risk of IRA hijackings.”
The items are now marked as “sold out” on the website.
The company behind the website, American Pipe Dream, said in a statement to The Journal that it understood the legal issues with selling the uniforms.
“We source all of our Irish uniforms from reputable wholesale businesses based outside of Ireland. We do not condone Irish Defence Force members selling government issued uniforms onto the private market.
“While we do wish the Irish government was willing to surplus their old gear, we completely understand the reasons for Irish law prohibiting such things. If it ever does become available on the private market for legal sale, we would certainly buy as much as we could. At the present moment we only receive very small batches of retired pieces.
“We also do not ship any of our Irish DPM pieces to Ireland, as we understand that is a security issue for the IDF. We’ve had similar discussions with the Omani Ministry of Defense. Our company respects the wishes of any Ministry of Defence regarding closing shipments of certain goods to their nation when they inquire.
“We have not been in contact with the Irish Defence Forces regarding this matter,” the company statement said.
The items of clothing are produced by a company outside of Ireland.
Sources have said that in the past there has been an issue whereby some websites have sold fake versions of the uniform.
A Defence Forces spokesperson said that the issue was being examined by the Irish Defence Force’s Military police.
A spokesperson said: “Military Police have now been appraised of this alleged selling of Irish Defence Forces clothing and the matter is under review.”
Additional reporting by Nicky Ryan.
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