Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress made with regard to the fitting of a roll-over protection system for troop carrying vehicles, arising from a number of recent road accidents involving Army lorries on the M50 and in Granard, County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42769/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Arising from an accident involving a troop carrying vehicle in Granard, County Longford in June 2007, a study group was formed to advise on the introduction of a roll-over protection system for troop carrying vehicles incorporating roll bars and safety belts. The total requirement identified by the study group included the fitting of the system to 135 trucks. The fleet is made up of four makes or models of vehicles with vehicle bodies of different specification across the model range. There is no standard roll-over protection system for military vehicles in service with the Defence Forces. For that reason, the evaluation of a suitable system to satisfy all demands requires the examination of solutions from a number of potential suppliers.

The Defence Forces plan to fit the systems to a number of selected vehicles initially for a pilot phase to allow for testing and consideration of the most suitable system for each particular type of vehicle. A company was requested to fit a system to a troop carrying vehicle for evaluation and trial. The company advised in April that due to the manner of construction of the vehicles, it might take six to eight weeks to manufacture and fit such a system. A roll-over protection system was fitted to a DAF 4x4 troop carrying vehicle in July 2008. This vehicle is in service with an operational unit for evaluation purposes.

During the month of October a system of standard pattern seat-belts was fitted to a troop carrying vehicle and a roll-over protection system was fitted to another troop carrying vehicle. Other systems and products are on order from other suppliers and these will be fitted to selected vehicles and made ready for testing in the next couple of weeks. All of the equipment will be evaluated by an operational unit. Following a period of evaluation and user feedback, the findings from the evaluations will be presented to the general staff of the Defence Forces for their input before a final tender competition is conducted for a suitable restraint system.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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My concern in this area is the length of time it is taking. I take the point that four makes or models of truck are in operation. I would like to see this process moving forward more quickly. All the testing seems to be done in terms of routine operation. Do tests exist which could be done on the strength of roller bars under controlled situations in terms of accidents? The assurance I seek is that in spite of cutbacks, the optimum roll-over bars, seat belts or whatever the solution is to ensure to the greatest degree the safety of troops in transit will be provided immediately and that resources will not be a constraint.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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To give Deputy O'Shea an idea of what we are dealing with, the systems for safety of trucks are in the process of being developed. Many of them are at the research and development stage. There are a number of suppliers and we must deal with all of them. We must get the proper equipment for the particular type of truck. There are four different types of truck in the Army. I am sure neither Deputy O'Shea nor any other Deputy would like us to buy systems which turned out to be incompatible with the trucks for which they were to be used.

The accident was in June and the report was supposed to be completed and available by the end of 2007 but it was not because of delays in potential suppliers getting back to us. It was finally completed in February 2008. In April 2008 instructions were first given to begin testing. Systems have been fitted to a small number of trucks and I believe three out of the four types of truck are covered. No other country has the system we are discussing in place. I do not use this as an excuse but I want to make the point that the system is in the early stages of development. The British are examining it and they recently placed an order for a number of systems for a very small number of British Army trucks. We are leading the way in this regard and I assure Deputy O'Shea that no expense will be spared. We have an allocation of approximately €500,000 for what we are doing this year and this will be more than what is required.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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I am somewhat reassured by this and perhaps in the present recessionary times retailers and manufacturers will be far more anxious to get business and move it ahead. I am pleased to hear that when the solutions are found they will be implemented quickly and that resources will not be an inhibiting factor in their provision. We all want a solution whereby the safety of troops is assured from an early date and I take it this is what the Minister has told me.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Deputy O'Shea and this is exactly what I am saying. We will lead the field in this regard. There is no one size fits all system but what is encouraging is that testing has already begun. A number of systems will be fitted to other trucks during the coming weeks. After the initial teething difficulties we are well on the way and it is our intention to provide a safe system for those trucks.