Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are two elements to the Senator’s question - the future position of the B Company 27th Battalion at Gormanston Camp, County Meath, and the future position of the Army explosive ordnance disposal teams, and I will respond to the questions in that order.

A major reorganisation of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, took place in 2012. This was in response to the Government decision to stabilise the strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel. At this revised strength ceiling, the existing organisational structures that had been in place for a strength ceiling of 11,500 personnel were no longer viable. The purpose of the reorganisation was to ensure that within the reduced strength the operational effectiveness of the Permanent Defence Force was prioritised.

In July 2012, the Minister and I accepted the reorganisation proposals submitted to us by the Chief of Staff and the Secretary General of the Department of Defence. These proposals had due regard to Defence Forces operational requirements and outlined a PDF Army structure based on two brigades, with the brigade headquarters located in Cork and Dublin. Other key aspects of this reorganisation included the consolidation of under-strength units and the disestablishment of certain units, a reduction in the number of headquarters and a redeployment of personnel from administrative and support functions to operational units. As part of this process, the number of Army infantry battalions decreased from nine under-strength infantry battalions to seven full-strength infantry battalions.

In Dublin, two under-strength infantry battalions were consolidated into one full-strength battalion. B Company of the 5th Battalion, based in Gormanston Camp, was re-designated B Company of the 27th Battalion and remains situated in Gormanston. There are no plans to relocate this unit. The 27th Infantry Battalion has two PDF garrison posts, at Aiken Barracks in County Louth and Gormanston Camp in County Meath. The battalion also occupies two reserve posts in Navan and Cavan towns.

The Defence Forces, in their role of supporting the civil power, provide assistance to An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. Such requests may entail the calling out of the Defence Forces Ordnance Corps. In support of this aid to the civil power role, the Defence Forces have a number of explosive ordnance disposal, EOD, teams located strategically throughout the State. In addition, the Defence Forces maintain the capacity to stand up additional teams if required. The deployment of EOD teams is kept under regular review by the Defence Forces. Their location is determined by operational demands, with the imperative being the ability to provide an immediate response to requests for EOD assistance from An Garda Síochána. From time to time, EOD teams can be redeployed to counter increased EOD threat activity throughout the country. Teams are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to call-outs. Gormanston Camp is used as a secondary location for an EOD response in the Leinster area. There are no plans to reduce the number of EOD teams in the Defence Forces.