asked the Minister for Defence how plans for the FCA will affect the present unified command structure of FCA and Army when the former are called on for security duties.

The recently announced reorganisation of the Defence Forces which provides, inter alia for the separate development of the Permanent Defence Force and An Foras Cosanta Áitiúil will not affect the arrangements whereby FCA personnel may volunteer for full-time duty with a permanent Defence Force unit.

Is the Minister saying in effect that when FCA units or personnel are engaged in security duties under these circumstances, they will be under the unified Army control that exists at present?

Yes, they will be under the control of the officer commanding the unit in which they are serving.

And that officer, will he be an Army officer or an FCA officer?

An Army officer, a Permanent Defence Force officer.