From bus strikes to the Big Freeze – those times of crisis when the Army helped out

Dublin Airport has asked for the assistance of the Defence Forces on security duties – but it’s not the first time the Irish Army has come to our aid

Passengers queue in the walkway into departures at Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport last month. Picture: Frank McGrath

Conor Feehan Twitter Email

June 29 2022 02:29 PM

Members of the Defence Forces training up to stand in for security personnel at Dublin Airport in the event of a Covid surge will not be the first time the Army has mustered when called upon by government .

The risk of a spike in cases among airport staff has prompted the Dublin Airport Authority ( DAA) to request the Government to put in place contingency planning allowing for the short-term deployment of the Defence Forces to assist with operations at Dublin Airport should it be required, the Department of Transport has said.

The Government has supported a request from Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton for members of the Defence Forces to begin training that will allow them to assist the DAA with security duties at Dublin Airport should the need arise.

The DAA has said its current operational plan, which has been in place since early June, is working effectively, but given the impact a resurgence of Covid-19 could have on its staff and operations, the authority proposed a contingency to be made to facilitate the potential deployment of the Defence Forces.

Defence Minister Simon Coveney said the request is clearly defined in terms of the role and timeline, lasting no longer than six weeks, in non-public-facing duties.

There are numerous instances in the past of the Defence Forces assisting when called upon by Government during times of national crisis.

“The Irish Defence Forces is an integral element of the Irish State’s architecture to deal with major emergencies,” a spokesman for the Defence Forces told Independent.ie.

"Through an existing framework, it provides support, when requested, to Ireland’s primary response agencies such as the HSE, An Garda Síochána, and the local authorities.

"This support is broadly classified as either aid to the civil power (ATCP), which is to An Garda Síochána, or aid to civil authority (ATCA), to HSE or local authorities.”

In 1979, the Defence Forces provided assistance during a bus strike, helping transport commuters to work. The Defence Forces also helped out during fuel strikes in the 1970s.

In 1998, assistance was provided to residents of Ballymun in 1998 during an industrial dispute in Dublin Corporation.

During the 'Big Freeze' of 2010, the Defence Forces were tasked with providing assistance across the country to local councils and HSE workers.

They also stepped in during adverse weather events such as Storm Desmond in 2015, Hurricane Ophelia in 2017, and Storm Emma in 2018.

“The Defence Forces more recently assisted during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing support to the HSE, testing, tracing, transport, tents, assistance to residential care facilities, vaccination centres, mandatory quarantine scheme, surge capacity, liaison and a range of other tasks,” the spokesman said.

"We have also provided assistance during wildfires and gorse fires on numerous occasions over the years. Examples include at Enfield, Co Kildare, in 2020, and Air Corps assistance in Dublin, Wicklow, Limerick, Cork, Tipperary and Offaly in July 2018.”