Vol. 246 No. 12
asked the Minister for Defence if citizens from Northern Ireland were brought into this State any time last year for special army training; on whose authority this was arranged; the extent of the operation; whether he was informed of it beforehand; whether he gave approval; and whether any financial commitments fell to be met by the State.
23.
asked the Minister for Defence if civilians were afforded the training facilities of the FCA in Donegal recently; and, if so, what action he intends to have taken against the officers in charge of the units concerned.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.
The implication in these two questions is that civilians have been given military training by the Defence Forces. There is nothing new in this allegation. Similar allegations have been made from time to time and it has always been made clear that military training in the State is given only to duly enlisted members of the Defence Forces. This position was reiterated by the peresent Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries in the Dáil on the 8th instant.
Persons resident in any part of Ireland are eligibile for enlistment in the Permanent Defence Force provided they are not ineligible on other grounds. While, under Defence Force Regulations, a person ordinarily resident outside the State is not, subject to certain exceptions, eligible for enlistment in the FCA, it has not been the practice of attesting officers to question the addresses within the State given by potential recruits as their place of ordinary residence. If either Deputy supplies me with particulars of any cases in which he has reason to suspect that members of the FCA have been improperly enlisted, such cases will be investigated.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be very easy for persons outside the Twenty-Six Counties to enrol in the FCA and get summer training in light of the facilities provided? The drop-out rate is over two-thirds per annum and this in itself arouses suspicion that this is being carried on for some time?
As I have already indicated in my reply, it has not been the practice of attesting officers to question the addresses of applicants for admission to training.
Would the Minister consider screening?
We will certainly look into the matter.
Is the Minister satisfied that citizens from Northern Ireland did not participate in any training activities under arms in the Republic?
I have no such information.
It is all one country at any rate.
