Irish troops in Afghanistan

There have been 7 Irish troops in Afghanistan since 2002, in rotation (for a total of 99). Mary Fitzgerald of the Irish Times reports on them. They are based in ISAF headquarters in Kabul. They serve in counternarcotics and counterinsurgency operations.
Ireland is not part of NATO but Irish troops in Afghanistan operate under NATO command, which gives rise to worries that Ireland is moving closer to NATO and could well join it one day.