Vol. 553 No. 3
6 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the circumstances in which two Mowag APCs were involved in an accident in the Curragh on 22 April 2002; the cost of the damage involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13953/02]
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.
A newspaper report on the accident stated that the hydraulically operated rear ramp was damaged and seized up. The ramp is designed to allow personnel to escape from the vehicle and I am worried that if the ramp seized up it would prejudice the safety of the personnel. This calls into question the safety of the Mowag carrier if the mechanism which is designed to allow personnel to disembark becomes seized.
The civil and military planning, procurement and technical specialist groups work with the equipment suppliers to ensure that the Defence Forces are provided with the best possible type of carrier. I am aware that a crash involving two powerful mechanical vehicles can do considerable damage. These vehicles have been rigorously tested by the Defence Forces experts and I am guided by their advice. If the investigation of this accident uncovers any information which puts the operation of the vehicle in any doubt, it will be investigated immediately.
Seven Army personnel were injured in this accident. The Defence Forces were not able to repair the damage to the vehicle. The amount of money involved in the repair is such that there is a problem. There is a question about the basic aspects of safety and security of this vehicle when seven people were injured in the accident. I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle considering it had to be returned to the manufacturers for repair as a result of this accident.
The Minister for a final reply.
My advice is that there were no other vehicles involved other than these two powerful vehicles. If anything is uncovered in the investigation to support Deputy Wall's contention, I will have it examined.
