Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Irish military personnel who will be involved in the relief effort in Asia following the recent disaster there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1767/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is strongly committed to providing whatever support it can within available resources and capabilities, including the provision of Defence Forces personnel, to the humanitarian relief operation in south-east Asia following the recent tsunami disaster. As soon as the scale of the disaster became clear, the Department of Foreign Affairs deployed a high level technical assessment team, which included a member of the Defence Forces, to examine the situation on the ground and identify what assistance Ireland should offer to the affected region. Arising from its initial assessment, the team advised the Department of Foreign Affairs of an immediate requirement for two logistics planning experts and two engineers to be attached to the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre.

Following consultation with my colleagues, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Finance, I agreed to the secondment of four officers of the Permanent Defence Force on a volunteer basis to the UNJLC in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The role of the logistics officers will be to evaluate, on behalf of the UNJLC, the current and future transport requirements in the affected areas for the delivery of humanitarian aid and to recommend solutions to overcome any identified shortfalls. The engineers will examine the road infrastructure in the affected areas, specify the rehabilitation and repair requirements and establish repair priorities to restore a functioning transport network in the area. These officers will have completed their work in six to eight weeks.

It is not possible at this stage to state if further troops will be deployed to the region. The assessment team has advised that a request for a further small number of logistics planners may be pending. However, at this time, I have received no further formal requests for Defence Forces assistance. This is an evolving situation and, as such, I am not in a position to say what requests may arise over the coming weeks and months.

The Government is positively disposed towards supporting the relief effort in the affected areas to the greatest possible extent. In the event that the Defence Forces have the capacity and resources to offer further required assistance in the region in specified roles, they will be examined on a case-by-case basis having regard to the requirements and the situation on the ground.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply that covers most of the supplementary questions I had prepared. Does he agree we have limited capability to deal with a disaster, natural or otherwise? He has issued some statements since entering office about the emergency planning cell but in this case, while we were willing to help, there was little we could do other than supply a few experts — there was no requirement for manpower, with many of these regions having adequate numbers.

We can, however, learn lessons from this. If we experienced a major national disaster, we would be unable to deal with it but we have never taken the idea seriously. The Minister should now provide additional funding for the emergency planning cell and co-ordinate with the other bodies to plan for and deal with such an event.

Irish people have a tremendous desire to assist in such a situation — that may stem from our past missionary zeal. Many people in State jobs would have liked to down tools and go out to the area for a couple of months. In conjunction with the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, will the Minister examine the establishment of a model where people can go out to assist in such circumstances? Forensic assistance was needed, as was medical and logistical expertise. People from outside the Defence Forces could enter such a network and could return to their jobs after two or three months without facing any penalty. We could look at this to plan for disasters closer to home also.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I sincerely hope we do not see anything even remotely resembling this incident again in the near future. Deputy Timmins's idea is a good one and I will take it up with my colleagues. The Department of Defence will examine this when considering the deployment of members of the Defence Forces Reserve abroad. Many of the same considerations will apply, such as security of employment and adequate training. The monitoring group will look at this and that will assist us in our deliberations.

Deputy Timmins also mentioned a disaster at home. We must make a clear distinction between a disaster at home and a disaster overseas. I respectfully submit to the House that we are extremely well-prepared for any disaster that might occur here. Another question has been submitted about this matter, but I do not know whether we will reach it.

Deputy Timmins is aware that an emergency planning committee was established in this country in the wake of the incidents in the United States on 11 September 2001. I chair the committee, which has met quite often since it was established. It meets on a monthly basis — its first meeting of the new year will take place next Tuesday, as far as I know. The committee comprises representatives of various Departments, such as the Departments of Health and Children and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and members of certain organisations, such as the Garda Síochána and the Army, all of whom have a role to play in the event of an emergency. I have asked the various organisations to outline their plans, to state what would happen in the event of certain occurrences and to give the up-to-date position about certain matters. We are keeping it really up to date. The Deputy will agree, if we get to discuss this matter later, that we are staying on top of it.

The first point made by Deputy Timmins related to Ireland's capacity to respond to overseas disasters. Ireland does not have the front-line emergency response capability needed to transport large volumes of emergency supplies thousands of miles and to deliver them to those who are affected by natural disasters. We do not have that capacity, which was needed in the immediate wake of the recent tsunami. Ireland can perform best by offering support in key niche areas in which it can deliver real and tangible results. Nobody foresaw the scale of the disaster in south-east Asia. Its ultimate size was not apparent in the first couple of days after it happened. We sent a technical assistance assessment team to the affected region as soon as was practicable. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, demonstrated his typical hands-on approach by travelling to the area with a group of officials, who reported back and outlined the level of need there. The team included a military official. We have sent a number of Army officers to the region, following a request for us to do so. If we receive a further request, we will look on it favourably. We are awaiting the assessment of the technical team, which should be available shortly, before we decide what other contribution we will make. I assure everybody that Ireland will play its part in that regard to the best of its ability.