Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
314. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence to report on the sale of a carriers (details supplied), the personnel carriers from the Civil Defence vehicle fleet; and the replacement vehicles that are being secured to ensure that there is not a loss of capability in Civil Defence transport needs. [29560/26]
View answerMy Department is committed to an ongoing review of the Civil Defence fleet. This includes working with Local Authorities and Civil Defence Units across the country on a programme of fleet modernisation and replacement, which is funded through both the Dormant Accounts Fund and grants directly from the Department’s annual budget.
This review examines the most effective use of existing transport assets, and informs the purchase of replacement vehicles based on the size and activities carried out by each Civil Defence Unit.
The two Bandvagn 206 vehicles are national Civil Defence assets, managed by Dublin Civil Defence. They were purchased in 2009/10, at a time when many Civil Defence Units and other emergency services did not have access to the number of four-wheel drive vehicles now available.
These vehicles were purchased second hand, they date from the 1980s, and the ongoing maintenance of these specialised and ageing vehicles is a significant factor in the context of the very low number of duties for which they are required. Therefore, and in consultation with the Dublin Civil Defence Officer, it has been decided to discontinue the use of these vehicles in Civil Defence, to explore modern replacement options, and dispose of or trade-in these vehicles as part of the ongoing fleet replacement programme.
