Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I asked the Minister of State a very specific question on whether he was aware of any concerns about staffing levels in the Army bomb disposal unit and he failed to answer it. As he stated, the unit has operational and logistical responsibility for bomb disposal. The Minister of State lauded investment in explosive robotic technology. It seems he will have to look for more robots to replace personnel leaving the organisation as part of the exodus taking place under his watch. I have been informed that a number of members of the Army bomb disposal unit are on pre-discharge leave at present. This will create a vacuum as regards their specialties in the Army bomb disposal unit and they are not being replaced in sufficient numbers because there are no personnel with their specialist skillset coming through the ranks to replace them. Is the Minister of State aware of this? If so, what is he doing to address it? Have there been internal discussions about plugging the gap? While the Minister of State indicated he had met all his responsibilities regarding aid to the civil power, what about the specific difficulties the exodus from the Army bomb disposal unit will create in future?

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