asked the Minister for Defence if an armed escort was requested by the Garda on 2 October 1978, the night of the robbery in Donegal town.

Pursuant to their role of rendering aid to the civil power, the Defence Forces give assistance to the Garda Síochána in escorting movements of cash. The arrangements for such assistance are kept under constant review by the military and Garda authorities.

It is not the policy to make information available in relation to a specific case involving security considerations.

Is it true that such a request was made and that some confusion arose regarding the date?

It has not been the policy to make information of this kind available and it is not my intention to make the information requested available now.

Question No. 24.

Would the Minister accept that, while it is obviously undesirable that any advance or general information be given on the nature of security precautions, if in a given instance precautions fail, it is not inappropriate for the matter to be raised and investigated with a view to putting right whatever went wrong on a past occasion? I ask him to take steps to ensure that whatever went wrong on this occasion will not recur and that the necessary additional cross-checks are made to prevent it recurring.

I assure the Deputy that arrangements for assistance of this kind will be kept under constant review.