[QUOTE=KiloB;4520456]Of course it's not just Air Defence. I have always wondered why Ireland bothers to maintain an Army but not an Air Force.QUOTE]
They do...
"The Role of the Air Corps under the Defence Act is to contribute to the security of the State by providing for the Military Air Defence of its airspace. However in times of peace it is more usual for the Air Corps to fulfill the roles assigned by Government through the deployment of a well motivated and effective Air Corps.
In Support of the Army
In Support of the Naval Service
In Aid to the Civil Power "
Defence Forces - Air Corps Roles
Guess it depends who you're defending your airspace from!