Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

To the best of my knowledge, no member of the Defence Forces was injured in the incidents in question. After every operation of every description, the Defence Forces assesses how it went. I was in immediate contact with the Department to ensure that as soon as a local authority sought help in fighting gorse fires that it would be available. The Defence Forces had personnel on stand-by and within ten minutes of a request being formally made by a local authority, the Defence Forces were in a position to commence providing assistance.

Like the work done for last week's State visit, the Defence Forces deserve our congratulations for the work they did in aid of the local authorities. The gorse fires were a difficult few days for the local authorities and the civil fire-fighters on the ground. There was a great deal of concern about surrounding these fires and the possible dangers they posed. The Defence Forces, again, conducted themselves very well. I have heard no valid criticism of any nature of the action they took. The Chief of Staff and other members of the Defence Forces who organised the response to assist local authorities deserve the congratulations of the House.

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