Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which he has had discussions with senior military personnel in the context of the possible retention of all existing military installations throughout the country with particular reference to the need to ensure the retention of maximum strength at the various existing locations and keeping in mind the need for the ready availability of the Defence Forces in all regions throughout the country in the event of a national emergency arising from any source; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39527/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Defence property portfolio is kept under review to ensure the most effective use of military resources, having regard to the roles assigned by Government to the Defence Forces. The consolidation of the Defence Forces formations into a smaller number of locations is a key objective in the ongoing defence modernisation programme and has been recommended in many reports over the past number of years. Notwithstanding this, the overall priority of the Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible. As the Deputy will be aware the Minister has confirmed that no further barrack closures are envisaged at this time.

The Defence Forces have the necessary resources to fulfil all roles that are assigned to them by Government, including the provision of assistance to the civil authorities in any emergency situations that may arise throughout the country. In relation to security, primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order rests with An Garda Síochána. However, one of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence (2000) is to provide Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. A wide variety of military training activities are specifically designed to counter or respond to possible security emergencies and the Defence Forces hold regular coordination and liaison meetings with An Garda Síochána in relation to ATCP issues.

Whilst the Defence Forces are not a Principal Response Agency, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they will continue to provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead Department in the event of a natural disaster or severe weather emergency. The Defence Forces are represented on the eight Regional Working Groups that have been established under the Framework and, on an ongoing basis, designated members of the Defence Forces, based around the country, act as Liaison Officers to Local Authorities. These arrangements continue to work well locally.

The various procedures that are in place, both nationally and locally, were seen to operate very effectively during the Winter of 2010 as the Defence Forces made all assets, resources and capabilities available to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and responded to all requests for assistance received from the civil authorities during the periods of severe weather that occurred that Winter. The response of the Defence Forces proved to be extremely effective then and they will continue to provide the same level of support if requested should the need arise again.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if the option of voluntary relocation will be open to members of the Defence Forces as part of the reorganisation of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39523/12]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Defence the scale of re-deployment of Defence Force personnel which will be required to facilitate the restructuring of the Defence Forces organisation to a two brigade structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39492/12]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if he has opened discussions with the representative bodies in relation to the implementation of the reorganisation of the Defence Forces; his views on reports that there is much confusion over whether or not Defence Forces personnel will have the option of voluntary relocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39524/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 20 and 23 together.

I have addressed many of the issues raised in these questions in my reply to the earlier priority questions. In relation to the disbandment of the Western Brigade, the Minister tasked the Secretary General of the Department and the Chief of Staff to bring forward proposals for a reorganization of the Defence Forces within the context of the reduced strength of 9,500 serving personnel. Those proposals recommended that the Army component of the Defence Forces be reduced from a three brigade to a two brigade structure. This was on the basis that the three brigade structure, which had originally been designed for a force of 11,500, could not be sustained in the context of maintaining numbers at 9,500, without impacting on the capacity of the Defence Forces to deliver the services required by Government. The Minister, having considered the matter in detail, accepted the proposals of the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff for the reorganisation of the Army into a two Brigade structure with Brigade Headquarters being located in Dublin and Cork.

On the transfer of the Mc Kee Barracks staff, the transfer requirement will not become apparent until such time as the implementation process proceeds further and personnel have indicated their preferences in relation to transfer or remaining in their current location. On reassignment or transfer criteria, as I indicated in my answer to the earlier questions, this will be voluntary as far as possible. Personnel will be reassigned using the following criteria -

1. Hold the substantive Rank of the appointment in question.

2. Where a number of candidates meet the requirement for the appointment the following will be considered in order:

- If the applicant has had to change station due to Barrack closures during the period 01 August 2008 to 01 August 2012;

- Length of Service in the Rank relevant to the appointment

- Length of Service.

Opportunities will also be given for personnel to retrain and reskill to fill vacancies in their current locations, and this is being incorporated into the Defence Forces Training directive for 2013.

The maintenance of Defence Forces operational requirements must be prioritised within the reorganization implementation process. However, within that context, where possible, all practical alternatives, including reskilling will be explored to avoid or minimize relocation. Undoubtedly it will be necessary to mandatorily move some personnel whose units are being disbanded or relocated and who cannot be accommodated in their current location. This cannot be avoided. It needs to be emphasised that this is not a painless process for personnel serving in the Defence Forces.

Serving members of the Defence Forces, officers and enlisted personnel, are being required to make decisions under the current reorganisation which they would not otherwise make or in different times have had to consider. This is the reality of the public service today and of the reforms taking place across the public service.