I wish to share my time with Deputy Timmins.
Adjournment Debate. - Explosion at County Cork Camp.
That is agreed.
I thank the Minister for coming into the House to respond to this matter. I take this opportunity to express the sympathy of the Fine Gael Party to Private Laura Guerin and her family and to the other four soldiers and their families in respect of the injuries sustained in an explosion at Kilworth Camp in Cork last night. It is devastating for Private Laura Guerin to have been involved in an accident with such consequences. I hope she gets all the care, medical and otherwise, in the short and long-term which the Defence Forces can offer her.
The men and women of our Defence Forces face a challenge of growing complexity in their home and international duties. Training for the Defence Forces is critical to prepare our soldiers for their peacekeeping duties as well as their defence work at home. I pay tribute to the contribution the Defence Forces make to this country, but it is not enough just to pay tribute to them. That must be matched by the necessary financial resources and backup agreed in this House.
While it would be impossible to remove the danger in such work, one hopes that no personnel would be subject to unnecessary risks. Our armed forces should have adequate support services and the most modern and effective equipment to carry out their critical role. The new policy of continuous recruitment must be put into action if morale is not only to be maintained but to be improved at this time of major change in the Defence Forces. Members of the Defence Forces over the years have taken heroic action on behalf of this country and they deserve our best support.
I ask the Minister to give us whatever information he has on this incident and to report back to the House on the full report as soon as he can. I hope any questions that arise from that report will be immediately addressed.
I thank Deputy Fitzgerald for sharing her time with me. I join her in extending sympathy to the injured personnel and their families and particularly to Private Laura Guerin. I am not aware of the stage of the investigation into yesterday's explosion, but I am concerned about a report on this evening's news which referred to a mishap in the Glen of Imaal yesterday. We are led to believe that the weapon and ammunition involved were similar to those used in Kilworth. Have there been other mishaps with the use of that ammunition in the recent past? I ask the Minister to consider prohibiting the use of that weapon and ammunition until the cause of that accident can be established. I look forward to the Minister giving a full report on that incident to the House on completion of the investigation.
I thank Deputies Frances Fitzgerald and Timmins for raising this matter this evening and providing me with an opportunity to report on the incident which occurred at Kilworth firing range last night. I take this opportunity to wish the soldier who was seriously injured in that unfortunate incident a speedy recovery and to say how much I regret that an incident like that should have taken place.
At approximately 18.00 hours on 9 December 1997 at Kilworth firing range an accident occurred during firing practice with a 60 mm light mortar. The exercise was being conducted by the Defence Forces personnel of the Southern Command. During the firing of a high explosive mortar bomb an explosion occurred in the vicinity of the gun position resulting in injuries to five personnel. Immediate medical attention was rendered to those injured. The most seriously injured of the personnel, Laura Guerin, was admitted by military ambulance to Cork University Hospital at 7.05 p.m. The four other personnel who were injured were transported by military ambulance and were admitted to the General Military Hospital, Cork, at 8 p.m. approximately. Three of the four persons who were admitted to the General Military Hospital suffered abrasions and were discharged from hospital at 12.15 p.m. today. The fourth soldier who was also admitted to the General Military Hospital had no physical injuries and was detained overnight for observation. He, too, was discharged from hospital at 12.15 p.m. today.
Laura Guerin who was admitted to Cork University Hospital suffered a serious injury to her left arm and underwent surgery last night. She is still in hospital and her condition is described as comfortable. I took the opportunity earlier today to speak on the telephone to her father, who is retired from honourable service in the Army and I expressed to him my sympathy, that of the Government and this House on what has happened. All those discharged are due for medical review next week in the General Military Hospital, Cork.
The military authorities initiated an immediate investigation into this incident. Military police and ordnance personnel were dispatched immediately to the scene at Kilworth. The site was preserved overnight and the investigation was recommenced at 7.30 this morning. The investigation is being carried out by the assistant provost marshal of the Southern Command. He is being assisted by explosive ordnance disposal personnel and engineer special search team personnel. A platoon of soldiers is also on hand to assist as required.
In accordance with established Defence Forces procedures following a serious injury or loss of life, a court of inquiry has been established which will inquire into the incident and will make recommendations on all relevant procedures relating to the firing of the weapon. While this inquiry will be exhaustive and detailed, requiring the input of specialists, preliminary inquiries have already established that the weapon and ammunition in use at the time had been inspected within the last month and found to be serviceable.
While the details of this incident are the subject of an investigation which was immediately initiated, I am satisfied that adequate precautions were taken during the training of the personnel involved. Safety procedures for military exercises are continually reviewed and the current regulations were in place during this exercise. These regulations provide for the testing of personnel in basic skills before firing. They include safety precautions and misfire drills. Pending the outcome of the court of inquiry, no firing exercises using the weapon type involved in this accident will be conducted by the Defence Forces.
On the point made by Deputy Timmins, from a preliminary inquiry I made in relation to the incident in the Glen of Imaal it appears to have been a freak development and thankfully it did not result in any injury. I am as anxious as the two Deputies to get the final report and I assure the House that any steps that are necessary in the course of training to ensure even greater safety precautionary measures will be undertaken. I give a commitment to the House in that regard. It is another telling testimony to the risks sometimes undertaken by people in our name so that they will be best equipped to face the challenges presented to them at home and abroad.
It is a matter of extreme regret to me that I am reporting to the House on an incident such as this and I hope we will not have a repeat of it ever again. I will make sure that whatever steps are necessary will be taken. I assure the House that when I have the final report I will immediately make it public.