Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the length of time he, his Department and the military authorities have been aware of the issues highlighted by the protected disclosures made by former and serving members of the Air Corps into the health and safety and working conditions in Casement Aerodrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7648/17]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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My question asks how long the Minister, his Department and the Air Corps authorities been aware of the major health and safety issues related to the handling of, and exposure to, chemicals for personnel stationed at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The State Claims Agency is currently managing six claims taken between 2013 and 2016 by former and current members of the Air Corps against the Minister for Defence for personal injuries alleging exposure to chemical and toxic substances whilst working in the Air Corps in Baldonnel in the period 1991 to 2006. As such my Department and the Defence Forces were aware of allegations relating to exposure to chemical and toxic substances in the Air Corps. Given my responsibilities and the fact that the Minister for Defence is the defendant in these claims, the Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment in relation to these cases whilst such litigation is ongoing.

Protected disclosures submitted in respect of health and safety issues in the Air Corps were received in November and December 2015 and January 2016.

I was made aware of these disclosures following my appointment in May 2016. As I have previously advised the House, I appointed an independent third party to review the matter in July 2016. Unfortunately, that individual was not subsequently in a position to proceed and he notified the Department of this in August 2016. I appointed another individual to review the matter in September 2016 and that process is at an advanced stage.

As the Deputy is aware, during 2016 the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, conducted inspections at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, on three occasions - 4 February 2016, 5 April 2016 and 28 September 2016.

On 21 October 2016, the HSA issued its report of inspection to the Air Corps. The report outlined a number of general improvements and recommendations and included the areas of risk assessment, health surveillance, monitoring of employees' actual exposure to particular hazardous substances, and the provision and use of personal protective equipment.

The health and safety report of October 2016 acknowledged that some or all of the advice items contained in that report may already have been receiving active consideration. The military authorities have advised me that the Air Corps were proactively engaged in mitigating health and safety risks in the Air Corps before, during and after the engagement with the HSA and were pursuing the development of a chemical register template commenced in quarter 2, 2015; a review of the risk assessment of chemicals process commenced in quarter 2, 2015 and the HSA provided advice on this process during their visits; and, a new approach to chemical awareness training within the Air Corps commenced in quarter 1, 2016.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

On 20 December 2016, a response from the Air Corps outlining its improvement plan was returned to the HSA. This confirmed the Air Corps' full commitment to implementing improved safety measures that protect workers and ensure risks are as low as reasonably practicable. This Air Corps plan will be implemented over eight phases. The first phase commenced in September 2016 with planned phased completion dates to December 2017. The military authorities have advised me that phases 1, 2 and 3 are now complete with phase 4 under way. I am also advised that seven out of the eight phases are planned to be completed by May 2017.

The military authorities have confirmed that the Air Corps provides personal protective equipment, PPE, to all workers in the Air Corps and that they are required to wear such equipment in the workplace when necessary. These requirements are set out in a range of military policy and practice documents. The Air Corps plan also provides for further actions relating to risk assessments and training focused on PPE.

I can assure the Deputy that the health and safety of the men and women of the Defence Forces is of the highest priority for me and for the military authorities. I am advised that all reports made to the military authorities are investigated and any recommendations arising are implemented as part of the continual review of their health and safety procedures.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I asked a simple question and did not get a simple answer, but that is nothing new in here. When was the Minister of State aware of the health and safety concerns about the handling of chemicals? From his answer, the Minister of State seems to suggest that the military authorities were obviously briefing him. I have known the Minister of State a long time and I am not accusing him of a cover-up, but there is a cover-up here.

I have seen health and safety reports going back as far as 1995. All of them pointed specifically to the issues that were addressed in The Examinernewspaper. A number of Deputies have been raising these issues with the Minister of State, so this is not a new issue. It is a cover-up because the military authorities in Casement aerodrome did not take the required steps when it was highlighted to them that dangerous chemicals existed.

Is the Minister of State aware of any health or safety reports or assessments carried out on the different workshops in Casement aerodrome?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Let me repeat this for the Deputy. I was made aware of the protected disclosures following my appointment in May 2016, as I have previously advised the House during another debate. A number of litigation cases between claimants and the Defence Forces, specifically in the Air Corps, have been going on since 1991. I stand to be corrected on that but I think the date is 1991. If I am wrong on that I will get back to the Deputy directly.

When I was advised and briefed on these protected disclosures, I immediately appointed an independent assessor. I reappointed another one later because the original person felt he was unable to carry out the review that was before him.

Let me assure the Deputy that I have asked the military what other complainants are there. This is what I have been briefed on and told. I can absolutely assure the Deputy that this is something I take quite seriously. The health and safety of any person in any workplace is of the utmost importance. We must ensure that they are given the correct course of action and provided with all the health and safety equipment to protect themselves.

The other issue concerns the HSA report and I am keeping on top of that.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I take the Minister of State at his word. As I said, I have known him for a long time. There is a major question here, however, in that the Minister of State is not getting the information to enable him to come here and answer correctly what we are asking. In some ways, that is a bigger scandal than the one we have been dealing with for a number of days here, given the amount of people who were exposed to chemicals since the first reports I saw were initiated and which directed the military authorities to take specific steps. I ask the Minister of State to go back to the military authorities and remind them that they have carried out assessments in Casement aerodrome which specifically pointed to major failings. They did not take any action until the HSA report was completed, which is even more scandalous.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will of course go back to the military authorities, but I can assure the Deputy that thus far this is what I have been briefed on and told. If the Deputy has any information that he wants to bring to my attention, involving the health and safety of the men and women of the Defence Forces - specifically in the Air Corps to which he referred - I will take it on board. He can be assured that I will go back to the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps, to inquire if there are any further issues surrounding the health and safety of the men and women who serve there.