Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 June 2025
237. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of instances in 2024 and to date in 2025 in which bombs, grenades or improvised explosive devices have been used; and the number of occasions during this period where Gardaí sought the assistance of the Army ordnance corps to manage such cases, in tabular form. [33966/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy colleague the Minister for Justice Home Affairs and Migration and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power which, in practice, means providing assistance to An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. Where necessary in the circumstances of a request, the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams respond when a formal request for assistance is made by An Garda Síochána.
The Defence Forces publish the number of requests for Aid to Civil Power on an annual basis. I am advised that the Defence Forces responded to in excess of 3,000 requests for Aid to Civil Power in 2024. For operational reasons, it is not appropriate to disclose the number of instances where EOD teams were tasked with providing that assistance.
