Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, ATCP, assist the Garda as required. Requests for aid to the civil power are normally made by a member of An Garda Síochána not below the rank of Inspector. The explosive ordnance disposal, EOD, team responds when a request is made by An Garda Síochána to the relevant brigade, for assistance in dealing with a suspect device or for the removal of old ordnance.

The devices that the Defence Forces encounter in these situations include viable improvised explosive devices, IEDs, which have all the components of a bomb and are set to detonate, and elaborate hoaxes where a device is made to look as if it could explode. The Defence Forces EOD team is required to treat all suspect devices as real until the EOD officer confirms the nature of the suspect device. The determination as to whether a suspect device is viable or hoax can be made only following detailed inspection by the EOD officer. When the EOD team is satisfied the suspect device has been rendered safe, the remains of the device are handed over to An Garda Síochána for forensic examination and investigation.

There are well established channels of consultation and co-operation between representatives of the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána. These consultations take the form of meetings, discussions, briefings and technical analysis. I have also discussed the situation on a number of occasions informally with my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. EOD operations are discussed at regular meetings of the improvised explosive device, IED, working group. The Defence Forces also liaise with An Garda Síochána in the technical analysis of evidence recovered from EOD operations.

See this speech in context