asked the Minister for Defence if he authorised the use of Army personnel in the Dublin Corportation dispute; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Army in Dublin Corporation Dispute.
17.
Arising out of the strike of certain Dublin Corporation employees, the Government, at the request of the Minister for the Environment, agreed to the use of Army personnel for the provision of essential services.
As I made clear over the past few days, I fully support Army involvement once requested by the chief medical officer of the city. But would the Minister agree that to involve the Army is a very serious matter and can be done only in circumstances like these, based on health grounds, which was a right decision. Is it not very wrong that the Army are placed in a difficult position, as they were on Thursday last, when it was well known in advance that adequate arrangements had not been made for them to carry out the duty they had been properly asked to perform? Would the Minister tell the House who made the arrangements? Who allowed them become so public? If he is concerned about that matter will he ensure that such shabbiness does not recur, placing the Defence Forces in such an awkward position?
I am glad the Deputy agrees with the decision made by the Government in these circumstances, at the request of the Department of the Environment, who were acting at the behest of the chief medical officer. As the Deputy and the House will know, the Army become involved at the request of the Government, not the Minister involved, who take a decision if they decide that circumstances warrant it. In this case we decided that it did and I am glad the Deputy agrees with that. The detailed arrangements for the time and strength of their involvement, who will assist them, all of that is, or ought be, done at official level. The fact is that, in this case, the Army were not allowed to carry out the work they were put there to do because of severe provocation by both striking workers and non-members of the Dublin Corporation workforce, people from outside. In the circumstances it was decided that the best thing to do, in the interests of peace, was to withdraw, come back at a more appropriate time and carry out the task which they did very adequately. I should like to thank them publicly for having done so. It is very important that the Army be available for that kind of purpose. But in saying that, I hope their services will be used as infrequently as possible because they should not be called on too lightly.
We must now move on to questions nominated for priority.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I cannot Deputy; we have exceeded the time.
I just want to ask one supplementary.
I am sorry, I cannot allow you, Deputy.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Deputy O'Keeffe will resume his seat; he is encroaching on the time of other Deputies.
With your permission might I raise the content of Question No. 19 on the Adjournment because of the unsatisfactory manner in which Question Time has been conducted in this House.
I will communicate with the Deputy. I am calling Question No. 26.