Vol. 486 No. 1
365 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Defence the facilities made available for the training of ambulance and fire fighting for non Defence Force personnel; the organisations that used these facilities in 1997 and to date in 1998; the cost incurred in providing this training; the numbers that used these facilities in 1997 and to date in 1998; the way in which insurance risk is catered for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1318/98]
My Department maintains a training centre as part of the Civil Defence complex in the Phoenix Park. The facilities both indoor and outdoor are designed to provide purposeful and realistic training for the voluntary members of Civil Defence who regularly attend to learn life saving skills. The outdoor facilities are laid out in the form of a damaged village and I am delighted to make these available to other emergency bodies who wish to take advantage of this unique training environment.
The training facilities are used by the Eastern Health Board, the National Ambulance Training School, The Order of Malta and St. John's Ambulance Brigade on 17 occasions in 1997 and by the National Ambulance Training School on one occasion in 1998. Maintaining records of the members using the facilities on each occasion are a matter for the organising group. Additional costs arising to my Department as a result of such use are recouped by the relevant body but generally such costs do not arise as the training described generally takes place during normal working hours at times when the facilities are not required to Civil Defence training.
The facilities are made available to these bodies subject to their accepting a number of conditions including such insurances as are necessary to ensure that there is no liability on my Department.
