Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of aid to the civil power, ATCP, which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces Ordnance Corps provides the explosive ordnance disposal, EOD, service within the State in support of An Garda Síochána in an ATCP role. The Defence Forces EOD teams respond when a request for assistance is made by An Garda Síochána in dealing with a suspect device.

Pursuant to their role in rendering aid to the civil power, the Defence Forces have a number of EOD teams on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to requests received from An Garda Síochána for assistance in dealing with a suspect device or for the removal of old ordnance. The military authorities have assured me that they have responded to all requests for EOD support made by An Garda Síochána. The operational role of the Ordnance Corps is responsible for the removal and the destruction, at the request of the Garda authorities, of smoke floats, flares, explosives, landmines and other such explosive devices, which may have been washed ashore or otherwise discovered on State territories. The Defence Forces explosive ordnance disposal teams also deal with other types of call-outs, including the destruction of old grenades found by members of the public, unstable chemicals and suspected devices that are found to be hoaxes.

For reasons of operational security, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the disposition and specifics of the explosive ordnance disposal capabilities of the Defence Forces but I assure the Deputy that ongoing training takes place on a constant basis and there are also ongoing upgrades to equipment. For example, work to upgrade the explosive ordnance disposal robot is due to be completed before the end of 2019. The Ordnance Corps also provides the Defence Forces with EOD capability across its full spectrum of operations. This has included briefings and training of personnel deploying overseas and, recently, all personnel on career courses.

I am satisfied that the Defence Forces are equipped and resourced to respond, as appropriate, to any EOD call-outs.

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