Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Security arrangements for the visits of Queen Elizabeth II and the President of the United States were primarily an operational matter for the Garda Síochána. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána.

With regard to the two highly successful recent visits, the important role played by the Defence Forces included search, surveillance and security operations on land, at sea and in the air, as requested by and in support of the Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces were also involved in the guarding of vital installations and provision of ceremonial duties as part of Queen Elizabeth's State visit, which duties went extraordinarily well and resulted in a great deal of praise for the Defence Forces.

Prior to the visits, the estimated additional cost of the Defence Forces involvement in the visit of Queen Elizabeth II was €1.18 million, while the estimated cost of President Obama's visit was €630,000. My Department is carrying out an exercise that will confirm the accuracy or otherwise of these estimates. At this point, the indications are that the estimated costs of both visits will not be exceeded. The costs associated with the recent visits will be paid from the existing financial envelope provided in the defence Vote for 2011 and I am satisfied it will not be necessary to seek a Supplementary Estimate arising out of the visits.

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