More than 700 troops are taking part in the biggest military exercise for 30 years in the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow.
The operation by the Defence Forces from the Southern Brigade is part of the programme for UN and EU peacekeeping forces and aims to improve collective training. The military exercise began on Wednesday and will conclude this evening.
A Defence Forces spokesman said the standard of individual training within the Irish Army was high but that the purpose of the military exercise was to prepare troops for peacekeeping operations in support of the UN.
The Government committed the Defence Forces to providing up to 850 troops to the UN peace-keeping force at any one time. In addition, the Irish army was also committed to providing the same 850 to the EU.
The spokesman said there was no such thing as an EU Rapid Reaction Force. It was a question of having troops trained and ready for deployment in any peacekeeping operation in the EU by the end of 2003.
The rules of deployment were that authorisation had to be sought by the UN or the EU with the permission of the Dáil.
"If you don't have a properly trained force, you can't participate in a modern peace-keeping operation. The aim of the military exercise is to build up skills, confidence and capability," he said.
The process started two years ago at platoon level, involving 30 to 35 army personnel. This year the operation concerned batallion-level troops, of which there are more than 700.
The spokesman said they would not have trained troops in this number since the 1970s when they would have been on stand-by due to the situation in Northern Ireland.