Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Defence Forces corps of engineers does not have specialist search teams at advanced search capability level. Advanced search personnel are capable of conducting hazardous environmental searches, working in confined spaces and operating in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environments. Participation by the Defence Forces in the project addresses the capability gap. Participation in the project will address a deficiency in advanced engineer special search and clearance capabilities. The training to instructor level in the project will ensure this requirement will be met in-house. It will ensure the personnel participating in the project will be able to return to Ireland with their experiences and further train other members of the Defence Forces. This will allow more personnel to undergo specialist training.

The project provides an efficient and cost-effective means of training teams to advanced search level in the most up-to-date manner, which would be prohibitively expensive if it had to be procured in the marketplace. We are able to use the skills we possess, but we will be updating the skills of the Defence Forces. They were used for the papal visit during the search of the Phoenix Park and Ireland Airport West and the recent visit of Prince Charles to the naval base. I understand they were used in other areas for other business also. They were used in conducting searches when the President of the United States and also the former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden visited. We are updating the skills we possess and they will be used for such visits.