Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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142. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which the Defence Forces can be deployed to deal with issues such as administration and vaccination associated with Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4892/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Whilst the Defence Forces are not a primary response agency for non-security related emergencies, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead Department in the event of a natural disaster or emergency situation in its Aid to Civil Authority (ATCA) role. In this regard, the full spectrum of Defence Forces personnel and equipment, commensurate with operational requirements, is made available for deployments, within current means and capabilities, as the need arises.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Joint Task Force was established to coordinate the Defence Forces contribution to the whole-of-Government COVID-19 response. It has the authority to draw together, in a joint manner, the contribution of all of the elements of the Defence Forces – Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Reserve, etc. This was provided for in a Defence Forces Regulation signed by and under the authority of the Minister for Defence.

The Defence Forces Joint Task Force is based in McKee Barracks and its priority from the beginning has been to provide support to the HSE, while retaining, at all times, a contingent capacity to provide Aid to the Civil Power support.

The wide range of supports that the Defence Forces have provided to the HSE, as coordinated by the Joint Task Force during the COVID-19 crisis include:

- operation of the COVID-19 testing centre at the Aviva stadium;

- support for contact tracing efforts;

- transportation by the Air Corps of COVID-19 tests to Germany;

- collection of PPE from more than 260 cargo flights and the ongoing storage and distribution of this PPE to various HSE sites;

- support for HSE testing efforts including through deployment of Naval Service vessels to Dublin, Cork and Galway;

- PPE training to workers at Cork and Waterford harbours by Naval service personnel;

- provision of tentage and marshalling support at various HSE testing sites around the country;

- transportation of patients for testing;

- assistance with the fit out of temporary facilities for the HSE (for example, the HSE facilities at City West and the University of Limerick);

- production and assembly of PPE using 3D printing facilities; and

- the use of lands at Ballymullen Barracks as a COVID-19 testing facility and contact tracing hub

- more recently the Defence Forces have provided administrative and non clinical supports to the HSE at a number of residential care homes.

In addition to supporting the HSE, the Defence Forces have also provided a broad range of supports to other Departments and Agencies Provision of this support was also coordinated by the Joint Task Force. Examples include:

- Support has been provided to the National Ambulance Service through Defence Forces ambulance and crew supports along with tele-triage supports.

- Support to the Office of Government Procurement through assistance with storage and distribution of PPE.

- Support to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government through the use of lands at Sarsfields Barracks for the location of one of the National Temporary Body Storage Facilities. The Defence Forces were also on standby to provide support if required at the Dublin based National Temporary Body Storage Facility at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

The Defence Forces are represented on the High Level Task Force for Covid-19 Vaccination.

The Defence Forces have already provided, and are ready to provide further, transportation and logistical supports to the HSE in the rollout of the Covid 19 vaccination programme.

A number of Defence Forces Medical Officers have completed the HSE vaccination training for the MODERNA & PFIZER vaccines and were involved in dispensing vaccinations recently at three centres, Cork, Dublin and Portlaoise and a number of Long Term Residential Care settings.

The Defence Forces have also developed a training protocol for other Defence Forces doctors, nurses and qualified medics so that they too will be able to participate in dispensing vaccinations, if requested to do so by the HSE.

With regard to vaccination of Defence Forces personnel, subject to the availability of the vaccine and in line with the national vaccination prioritisation list, where the Defence Forces have frontline staff working alongside the HSE, these DF personnel will be vaccinated in tandem with the HSE personnel.