I am advised that while on a military exercise in the Curragh area on Monday evening, 22 April 2002, a traffic accident occurred involving two Mowag armoured personnel carriers. The accident happened at 5.50 p.m. on the N78, Kilcullen – Athy road.
The military authorities are conducting a routine traffic accident investigation into the incident to establish the facts. The investigation is ongoing. No other civil or military vehicles were involved in the accident.
A total of seven military personnel in the APCs were taken by the emergency services to Naas hospital for examination. One member was detained overnight in hospital and is still receiving medical treatment. I wish him a speed recovery. The other members were released on the day.
The two APCs were recovered to the vehicle base workshops in the Curragh Camp for a technical examination. Mechanical repairs were made in the workshops to one of the APCs and it is now back in service.
Due to the specialist nature of the repairs which could not be effected in the Curragh Camp, the other APC has been returned to Mowag in Switzerland for repairs. The estimated cost of the repairs by Mowag is in the region of €50,000. They are being carried out at present and the vehicle will be returned to Ireland to be put back into service at the earliest possible date.