Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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374. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel, Army, Air Corps, Naval Service and Reserve, that have been randomly tested for drugs or alcohol while on duty for each of the past five years; the nature of the test; and the consequences for those that have been tested positive. [18470/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The following table shows the number of Defence Forces personnel Army, Air Corps and Naval Service and Reserve who were tested under the Defence Forces Compulsory Random Drug Testing (CRDT)in the past five years:

Compulsory Random Drug Testing was introduced to the Permanent Defence Force in 2002 pursuant to Defence Force Regulation A7 and Administrative Instruction Defence Forces Part 7, Chapter 3, Compulsory Random Drug Testing. All personnel, irrespective of rank, with the exception of the Army Nursing Service and the Chaplaincy Service, are liable to be tested.

The test requires each individual to provide a urine sample under controlled conditions. The sample is immediately screened on site. If the specimen is not found to be clear, it is then divided into two (‘A’ and ‘B’ samples) containers. At this stage, an unclear test in not necessarily an indication of a positive result, rather it merely indicates that the urine sample requires further laboratory analysis. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples will be sent to an independent accredited civilian laboratory, the ‘A’ sample will be tested and the ‘B’ sample will be retained in the laboratory under controlled storage conditions. The ‘B’ sample is available for a second independent test by a different accredited laboratory if requested by the donor. No blood, saliva or hair samples are required.

A total of 63 members of Defence Forces were deemed to have failed the Defence Forces Compulsory Random Drug Testing in the past five years (59 tested positive and 4 missed the test). The following actions were undertaken in each instance:

*The objective of Targeted Drug Testing (TDT) is to ensure that an individual, who has tested positive for the presence of a controlled drug in a Compulsory Random Drug Test but who conditionally remains in service as a result of a decision of their Formation Commander, is devoid of the presence and/or influence of any controlled drug or substance. TDT involves the individual agreeing to submit to targeted drugs testing, in addition to the random selection process, for a period of up to 18 months.