Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Defence his views regarding the threat that the Defence Forces would be used to carry out the work of firefighters in County Roscommon, who are in dispute with management regarding changes to their working conditions; and if he will ensure that the army is not used in any industrial dispute. [38610/11]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Last month, in the context of an ongoing dispute between the local authority fire service and a number of its retained fire fighters, a request was received by my Department, in accordance with procedures in place, from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for the Defence Forces to provide assistance to Roscommon County Council in the maintenance of essential fire services. While Defence Forces personnel were made available for deployment, they were not called upon as the Roscommon County Council fire service was able to deal with all call-outs from within its own available resources. The Defence Forces operation was stood down following settlement of the dispute on 2 December last.

The White Paper on Defence provides for a role for the Defence Forces in assisting the civil authorities in the maintenance of essential services. As the local authority concerned was in dispute with personnel who provide what is clearly an essential service, I can confirm absolutely that the Defence Forces, if called upon, would have responded to all requests for assistance from the local authority fire service.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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This question should have arisen last week; the dispute has been resolved since then. There is no doubt that the Defence Forces were used, actively and consciously, in an effort to undermine the fire fighters in the course of their legitimate dispute with the local authority. Does the Minister think it appropriate that the Defence Forces should be used in this manner? What are the criteria for such intervention and in what other circumstances have they been called on to intervene in this way? The issue centred on retraining and the staff involved are very professional. They had an arrangement with their employer and they were engaged in a legitimate dispute. Undoubtedly, using the State forces gave the local authority an advantage. It is akin to bully boy tactics and I am not happy that my tax revenue is being used to undermine a group of workers.

I would imagine that Defence Forces staff have also been at the receiving end of a lot of bad Government decisions and would not like to be used in that way against other workers. I ask the Minister of State to address whether he thinks it is appropriate and what specific criteria are involved when the Defence Forces are called in to act in that regard. In how many other similar instances have they been called upon?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that the Defence Forces undermined nobody's authority. They were called upon on an emergency basis, which I very much welcome. That is their role. I have no doubt that if firefighters in the Deputy's constituency were on strike and her house went on fire she would very much welcome, in the event of the county council not being available to put out the fire, the Defence Forces being able to do so.

The Defence Forces are there to be called upon in such circumstances. It has happened on other occasions. The most recent instances in which they have provided assistance or have been on standby to assist in maintaining essential services during industrial disputes was in 2002 when assistance was provided to Dublin City Council during the Ballymun lifts dispute. In 2003 assistance was provided to Donegal County Council during threatened industrial action by the Northern Ireland fire services. In 2002 they were on standby for a threatened national strike involving retained firefighters. In 2002 and 2003 assistance was provided to the midlands and south-eastern health boards during ambulance disputes. In 2004 defence forces medical doctors provided assistance to the Irish Prison Service during a medical doctors strike. In 2005 it was on standby to provide assistance to the Irish Prison Service in the event of a strike by prison officers. In 2007 it was on standby for a threatened strike by retained firefighters in Ennis, County Clare. In 2010 assistance was provided to Dublin City Council during the Ballymun lift dispute.

It is a civic duty of the Defence Forces that if such disputes arise they come into play. They will respond to all requests for assistance from any local authority, fire service or health service. They carry out their training in a very professional manner to be ready and able to assist.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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We are all aware of how capable the Defence Forces are, but so is the fire service. The fact that the Minister of State could recount seven incidents in the course of almost ten years demonstrates that this is an unusual situation. Firefighters were in dispute in my constituency last year, and I would support them as I do the people in Roscommon. The workers made arrangements.

The fact that the armed forces were not called upon to intervene in the dispute is confirmation of the fact that workers had sorted out the situation. They were being treated unfairly vis-À-vis other groups of workers by the State being actively used in order to undermine their legitimate dispute. I take it, based on the comments of the Minister of State, that he intends to carry on in that regard. Can any other agencies, apart from local authorities, invoke this procedure or is it only at their behest?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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That is the Deputy's stance on the issue. It is about saving lives if they are requested to do so, as well as safety and emergencies. The Deputy is entitled to her opinion but it would not be the opinion of many outside the House. They want emergency services available to them, whether it is the Defence Forces or others.

I can assure the Deputy that nobody's authority was undermined. The Defence Forces were asked to provide cover for firefighters in Roscommon. They do not get involved in the technical end of any dispute. They simply carry out duties. I mentioned a number of areas where the Defences Forces were used since 2002. I can assure the Deputy that they will continue to be available if the circumstances arise.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Is it only local authorities who have the power?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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No, the health services can also call on them.