Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has raised this issue with me previously and I will give him an update. On the actual numbers, I am glad to state there was a significant reduction in the number of call-outs last year. There were 215 call-outs in 2013 and this number fell to 141 this year. The number of call-outs for viable improvised explosive devices also fell last year. There was a reduction from 96 in 2012 to 81 in 2013 and the number fell to 52 last year. While this is a positive trend, it remains necessary to have the capacity to deal with a significant increase, should that happen for whatever reason.

Explosive ordnance disposal is the military term used to refer to what is commonly called bomb disposal. Explosive ordnance disposal is a task assigned to the Defence Forces by the Government and is provided in aid to the civil power. Within the Defence Forces, the explosive ordnance disposal function is assigned to the Ordnance Corps. As I stated in response to Question No. 9 of Wednesday, 14 January 2015, the issue of the terms and conditions for entry into the Ordnance Corps has been raised by the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, at conciliation council. In accordance with normal procedures, the association’s claim is being dealt with under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force.

As discussions under the scheme are confidential to the parties involved, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the details today. However, it is my intention that recruitment will commence as soon as the terms and conditions have been agreed.

In other words there is a dispute, I suspect, over the level of incentive to get people into this specialist training area. It is dangerous work, quite frankly, and requires about two years of training. We are going through the usual procedures to agree a way forward and a compromise that everyone will accept and agree upon. After that, we will be pressing ahead with an active recruitment campaign because we do need to increase the numbers in that unit.

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