Paragraph 1 of Defence Force Regulations A.5 – Courts of Inquiry, made pursuant to the provisions of the Defence Act, 1954, provides that courts of inquiry shall be assembled to investigate
a)the maiming, mutilating or injuring otherwise of a person subject to military law, whether on or off duty, where
the injury is fatal, or certified by a medical officer to be of a serious nature, or
doubt exists as to the cause of the injury or as to whether such person was on or off duty at the time of the injury, or
an officer having power to convene a court of inquiry considers it is desirable to investigate the cause of the injury;
b)accidents in which persons subject to military law are involved or in which property of the Minister, or property which is in the custody of the Defence Forces, is involved;
c)any loss, deficiency, theft, destruction or damage of or to moneys, stores, equipment, clothing, supplies, buildings, vehicles, aircraft, ships, animals, machinery or other articles which are the property of the Minister or are in the custody of the Defence Forces or which are the property, or in the custody, of service mess, institute or canteen;
d)explosions in any service magazine, building, vehicle, aircraft, ship, munition shop or factory;
e)any accident caused by, or resulting from, the use of any service weapon and involving injuries to persons or animals or material damage to buildings or property;