Disciplinary action against 10 soldiers who failed drug tests almost a year ago will now resume after the Defence Forces revamped its testing procedures.

Defence minister Willie O'Dea has announced new procedures which include the introduction of targeted testing.

The new policy is being introduced after the so-called "spiked pizza" case last year in which Private John White argued that his positive drug test was as a result of eating pizza which had been spiked with cannabis for a prank.

White was facing discharge from the army and argued at the High Court that his commanding officer had not considered his explanation.

A High Court judge agreed with White and ruled that the Defence Forces disciplinary procedures were wrongly applied.

As a result of the successful White case, the army decided that while it would continue to randomly test soldiers for drugs as a deterrent, it would suspend disciplinary action against any soldier who has tested positive until such time as it had reviewed testing procedures.

Under the new procedures, a soldier who has tested positive but pleads it was accidental will be tested every three months over the next 18 months – a measure which should prove his or her innocence.

A Defence Forces spokes­man said that 14 cases of disciplinary action were sus­pended for White's High Court case.

Of the 14 one includes White himself, who remains serving, two have left the army of their own accord, while disciplinary measures, in some form or other, are now proceeding against the remaining 11.

One of those 11 is the subject of the new targeted testing – meaning he or she has argued their positive result was as a result of accidental exposure.