The State's 11,500 soldiers are being kitted out in new top-of-the-range combat uniforms manufactured by cheap labour in Asia and eastern Europe.
The Department of Defence confirmed last night that the camouflage suits, costing e £1.4 million, are being made in China and Romania.
The Army unit which left Ireland last October for a six-month tour of duty in Lebanon has already been issued with the uniforms.
Two companies won the tender to supply the uniforms, Westport Clothing Ltd of Westport, Co Mayo, and Seyntext NV of Tielt, Belgium.
The Department of Defence said the fabric and suits supplied by Westport Clothing was being manufactured in China, while that of the suits supplied by Seyntex NV was being manufactured in Belgium, with the garments being produced in Romania.
The contract for Westport Clothing involves the supply of 13,000 jackets, 13,000 winter trousers and 33,000 summer trousers and is worth u £979,200 to the company.
The contract for Seyntext NV involves the supply of 4,000 jackets, 4,000 winter trousers and 20,000 summer trousers, and is worth u £476,000.
Last night the Cork East Fine Gael TD, Mr David Stanton, who tabled a question on the matter in the Dail in December, called on the Minister for Defence to explain the circumstances surrounding the issuing of the contracts.
"I am deeply concerned to learn that Irish soldiers are to be wearing new uniforms made, not even in Europe, but in countries as far away as China and Romania" he told The Irish Times.
Mr Stanton said while he was conscious that Ireland had to adhere to EU tendering laws, some element of the uniforms should have been made in Ireland.
"I want to know what the criteria were for the awarding of the contracts and why two companies were involved."
A spokesman for the Department of Defence said the contract for the uniforms was open to companies all over Europe under EU tendering law.
"Of course, it would have been nice to have our soldiers' uniforms made in Ireland, but our hands were tied on this," he said.
The Government Supplies Agency had placed an order for the uniforms with Westport Clothing, which had the lowest tender, in October 1998. An order was placed with Seyntext, which entered the second-lowest tender, in May 1999 when it became clear that Westport Clothing was not going to be able to complete the full order within a certain time.
"Both of those companies would have specified in their tender documents exactly how they were going to source and supply the uniforms," the spokesman said.
The managing director of Westport Clothing, Mr Harry Hughes, said last night the company tendered for the contract and was successful. He said it was much cheaper for the company to have the uniforms made in Asia as opposed to Ireland where labour costs were higher.
"It is a pity there is no Irish element in the uniforms, but the tender did not specify that the uniforms be made in Ireland."