Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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664. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 56 of 17 May 2017, if the number of specialist field engineer companies of the Army was reduced from three to two in the 2012 reorganisation; and if so, the way in which he can then state that the ability of the Defence Forces to adequately respond to specialist engineer aid to the civil authority contingency requirements has not as a consequence been negatively impacted. [25818/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The re-organisation of the Defence Forces in 2012 was focussed on enhancing its operational capacity to the greatest extent possible. In line with the consolidation of under-strength units into a smaller number of full strength units, the number of field engineer companies was reduced from three to two. This facilitated an increase in the establishment strength of a field engineer company from 88 to 103 personnel, whilst an Engineer Support Platoon, based at the Defence Forces Training Centre, comprises a further 22 personnel.

As stated in my answer to the previous question referred to, I am satisfied that the re-organisation has led to an improvement in the deployability and sustainability of the Defence Forces, both at home and overseas, and has allowed it to continue to fulfil all roles assigned in the White Paper on Defence.

Clearly, the Defence Forces provided very significant assistance to the emergency services fighting gorse fires in Counties Sligo and Galway recently. In this regard, it should be noted that gorse fire fighting is carried out by personnel from infantry units, and not by personnel from field engineer companies. When personnel are deployed, as in Co. Galway recently, a qualified Engineer Fire Officer is however deployed with them as an adviser.