Vol. 546 No. 3
109 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the number of suitably qualified instructors trained and fully exercised in the Defence Forces in nuclear, chemical and biological warfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31864/01]
111 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the capabilities of the Army to deal with such an incident as happened on 11 September in the United States of America; the level of equipment and readiness of the Defence Forces to deal with such an occurrence at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31866/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 111 together.
In the aftermath of the events of 11 September an urgent review of capacities and procedures to deal with a range of emergency situations was undertaken by the military authorities and this review is ongoing. It includes, inter alia, an update of the threat assessment; contact with other State agencies was renewed/undertaken; operations orders relating to vital installations, alert systems, the Army Ranger Wing, etc., were re-assessed; guidance documents pertaining to aid to the civil power and aid to the civil authorities were re-assessed; ordnance and engineer assets in terms of explosive ordnance disposal and specialist search were re-assessed; and a review of equipment in terms of the need for air defence was undertaken. In this regard the possible acquisition of aircraft to fulfil an air defence role is also a consideration. In addition, my Department is in the process of purchasing several batteries of air defence guns including radars from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The radar systems will have the capacity to detect overflights by aircraft.
The Defence Forces have available to them equipment for monitoring and protecting its members in dealing with the varying nuclear, biological and chemical threats identified from time to time. A programme for the purchase of NBC equipment is ongoing and whatever equipment deemed necessary is purchased to meet the changing requirements. The requirement for additional NBC equipment is kept under continuous review by the Defence Forces.
