Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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58. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 19 of 8 October 2015, if any consortium in which the Defence Forces are involved has been successful in its bid for Horizon 2020; the contents of the winning proposals and the identities of those involved in the winning consortium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2795/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have recently been informed that a Horizon 2020 bid which involves the Defence Forces as a consortium member has recently been successful. The scope of the project is to develop mobile, remotely-controlled technologies to enable an improved identification and detection of Chemical Biological Radioactive Nuclear (CBRN) materials and collection of forensic evidence in a variety of situation and conditions. The overall goal of the project is to fundamentally change how CBRN events are assessed and ensure the safety of Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel and crime scene investigators by reducing the need for them to enter a dangerous scene to gather evidence.

The role of the Ordnance Corps is to participate as "end users" and they will assist in developing scenarios and assessing results.

The project will be led by NUI Galway and involves a number of Irish entities. A number of other countries are also represented in the consortium. While the project has been main-listed for funding, no contract has been awarded yet, and it would therefore be premature to disclose further details in relation to the project and other consortium members at this time.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution being made by Defence Organisation in its engagement with Irish-based institutions for research purposes. These collaborations contribute to Defence Forces' capabilities and also support Ireland's economic development.

This latest achievement will undoubtedly open doors for further collaborations between the Defence Organisation and Research Institutes and Companies.