Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with the Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces, pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, assist the gardaí as required in a range of duties, which include the provision of troops for cash escorts, prison escorts and the provision of military guards at a number of vital installations.

As part of the aid to the civil power role, the Defence Forces continues to maintain an anti-riot capability in order to meet a contingent and operational capability at home and overseas respectively. The Defence Forces Annual Training Plan provides for training in a broad spectrum of such aid to the civil power related activities. This training plan also includes riot control training and the maintenance of stand-to parties for the purpose of rendering assistance to the Garda Síochána at demonstrations and marches, if such assistance is sought by the gardaí.

It is essential, therefore, that all military personnel involved in such training be suitably equipped from the health and safety perspective. In that regard, the provision of suitable personal protective equipment for the Defence Forces is a matter which is kept under review in my Department and the procurement of a range of equipment for use by the Defence Forces for training on aid to the civil power duties and for overseas service was undertaken this year.

The equipment included the acquisition of personal protective equipment for use by the Defence Forces in public order and crowd and riot control operations at home and overseas. This equipment affords protection for personnel from the threats of airborne thrown missiles, hand held weapons and from violent physical contact. In addition, protective shields and batons were also acquired for the Defence Forces to replace existing stocks, which had not been replenished for a number of years. The total expenditure on the equipment this year is €344,000 inclusive of VAT.

I can confirm that the purchase of this equipment was planned as a replacement programme due to fair wear and tear of equipment during normal training and is not related, as the Deputy asks, to any fears of civil disturbance in this country in the immediate future. The equipment is required to enable the Defence Forces to train and carry out its roles at home and overseas to the highest possible international standards and best practice. The purchase of this equipment is a small element of an overall equipment modernisation programme which has seen tremendous strides made in the equipment now available to Defence Forces personnel at all levels to cover the varied roles they are engaged in on a daily basis.

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