Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

According to the recent IMC report, there has been an increase in dissident activity along the Border. As I understand it, the Border is now monitored from Finner Camp. However, the range of the helicopters currently at Finner is not large enough to carry out proper surveillance on the Border. I ask the Minister to clarify this.

As this is probably the last Question Time with the Minister before the closure at the end of January, my next question is with regard to the time frame. People are being asked to move, as we said before, in 14 weeks. If one asked a civil servant or a public servant to move to a decentralised post in that period it would not be acceptable to any of their representative unions. That is the concern here. The Minister has repeatedly stated in the House that if arrangements are not in place in the barracks — if there is any reason for not moving — he will be flexible with that date.

I ask the Minister to clarify the issue of Border security in the context of the IMC report, and also to confirm that the timeframe will be extended if arrangements are not made in time. Finally, can the Minister give us any specific date for the important meeting with PDFORRA?

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