Army deals with three bomb disposal callouts every week

The army’s bomb squad was called out nearly three times every week this year to make safe unexploded devices.

The specialist unit dealt with 145 bomb disposal call-outs up to yesterday, and the army also provided 11 escorts to protect explosives which were being used for industrial purposes.

According to figures released by the Defence Forces, army personnel also aided gardaí with 130 prisoner escorts, while 260 troops were drafted in to provide security for the visit of Prince Charles last May.

There are currently 424 military personnel serving in 15 different countries around the world.

The biggest troop missions consist of 198 personnel serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the 139 personnel with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights in Syria.

More than 1,000 members of the Defence Forces were deployed to assist with flood relief works in the aftermath of Storm Desmond.

During the course of this work, they deployed 160 vehicles, four aircraft, and two boats.

During the year, the army was also called out on three occasions to aid gardaí in searches for missing people.

On March 1, 150 troops were deployed on a search in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.

A further 171 were deployed in a search for a missing person in Dundalk area on September 2.

Meanwhile, the Defence Forces participated in more than 30 significant military and state ceremonial events during the year.

They took part in the 100th anniversary commemoration of the sinking of the Lusitania, the 100th anniversary of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa’s funeral, and the state funeral and re-interment of Commandant Thomas Kent, who was executed in 1916.