The Blues full back, who was forced to withdraw from the last Ireland squad that beat San Marino last month because of injury, has been named in Steve Staunton's 24-man squad for the games against Wales on Saturday, March 24th and Slovakia four days later which are both being played at Ireland's new Croke Park venue.
Republic of Ireland squad: Shay Given (Newcastle), Nicky Colgan (Barnsley), Wayne Henderson (PNE), Paul McShane (West Brom), Richard Dunne (Man City), Steve Finnan (Liverpool), Ian Harte (Levante), Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), John O'Shea (Man United), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan), Stephen Ireland (Man City), Lee Carsley (Everton), Jonathan Douglas (Leeds), Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Alan Quinn (Sheffield United), Damien Duff (Newcastle), Darron Gibson (Royal Antwerp), Robbie Keane (Tottenham), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Shane Long (Reading), Caleb Folan (Wigan).