Tag Archives: Defence Forces

CLARE’S Independent TD has robustly challenged the Minister for Defence over the sector’s track record in tackling discrimination, following a ground-breaking RTE radio documentary. Deputy Michael McNamara said that while he believed that the abuse of power within the Defence Forces, and similar organisations with a command structure, is limited to a small minority, there was still a tendency to “circle the wagons rather than tackle the problem”. As Minister Simon Coveney answered Priority Questions (PQs) in the Dail last week, a number of deputies raised concerns about the revelations of sexual coercion and harassment detailed in the ‘Women of Honour’ documentary. Deputy McNamara noted that his own query for the minister was on a related theme, and he asked for an update on the Defence Forces’ process of implementing recommendations on anti-discrimination law. The Scariff-based TD drew the chamber’s attention to the findings, last December, of a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) hearing which made a series of recommendations on …

Members of the Emergency Response Unit, Regional Armed Support Unit and Garda Air Support Unit as well as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit were involved in a simulated anti-terrorism training exercise at Shannon Airport this Tuesday morning. The staged event saw the airport being stormed by an armed group, calling themselves the Doomsday Cult. During the simulated attack, the terrorist group fired blank rounds of ammunition at trainee gardaí who were acting as passengers in the departures lounge of Shannon Airport. As the exercise progressed it triggered a coordinated armed response from members of the Garda Air Support Unit, the Defence Forces, the naval service, the air corps, the EOD, and Shannon Airport personnel . The situation then moved to a hostage negotiation scenario where a tactical team was deployed to reason with the terrorist group and recover the hostages. The exercise was staged at Shannon Airport between 2.30pm and 4pm on Tuesday and involved upwards of 130 individuals. The …

Clare County Council has reported water levels on the Lower River Shannon at Springfield, Clonlara, increased by 5-10cm (50-100mm) during Tuesday and overnight, and are now just under 20cm (200mm) lower than they were at their peak on December 13. The council says that the Mulkear River in County Limerick, which enters the River Shannon south of Annacotty, is currently in flood and is contributing to increased water levels at Springfield. Council staff are being assisted by the Fire Service and Defence Forces at Springfield, Clonlara, in its ongoing pumping operations and transportation of residents to and from approximately 12 homes isolated by flood waters.

ARMED gardaí are in Shannon Airport at all times and are constantly vigilant regarding potential threats, the head of the Clare Garda Division John Kerin said this week. Chief Superintendent Kerin also said that following events in Paris last Friday night, meetings are taking place this week to review procedures. However, he said gardaí are confident in the security operation already in place and there is no specific threat to Shannon. For many years, US military aircraft have landed at Shannon, which has led to some concerns about it being a potential target for terror. In January, following the Charlie Hedbo slayings, radical Muslim preacher Anjem Choudary warned that Ireland could be targeted due to the American use of the airport. Regarding the strength of the operation at Shannon he said, “There’s a full-time policing operation in place at the airport and we work very closely with the airport management and all the people who work there to create as …

Clare TD, Michael McNamara is to introduce a Bill to the Dáil this Wednesday afternoon, which will provide for the right of Garda and Defence Forces representatives to carry out negotiations on pay and conditions of its members. The Industrial Relations (Members of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces) Bill 2015 will also allow gardaí to take industrial action. “This Bill seeks to introduce the necessary amendments to bring Ireland into compliance with the Social Charter, a European treaty which guarantees social and economic human rights, which Ireland was found to be in breach of by the European Committee of Social Rights,” said the Labour Deputy. “Ireland has been in breach of the charter, as it prohibits police representative associations from joining national employees’ organisations; and prohibits the right to strike of members of the police,” he added. This Bill will not, however, allow members of the Defence Forces to strike, Deputy McNamara stressed.