Air Corps health concerns
Deputy Farrelly raised historic Air Corps health and toxic exposure concerns, citing past criticism by Micheál Martin. The Minister of State said the welfare of Air Corps personnel was a priority and referred to the independent review and recent settlement.
We are out of time but one Member remains to speak. I will allow Deputy Farrelly to ask his question.
Comment on this
I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Deny, deny, deny. That is how Micheál Martin described, from the Opposition benches in 2017, the Fine Gael-led Government's approach to significant issues of health concern raised by members of the Air Corps. At the time, as Leader of the Opposition, he castigated the then Minister, Simon Coveney, and Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, for their lack of response. He said:
The response of the State has been standard and deeply depressing. It has resorted to the courts ... the Government is fighting them very strongly and acknowledging no negligence.
Last night, we heard Gary Coll say on RTÉ that he felt he was robbed and felt coerced into making a settlement without admission of negligence. He said the Air Corps tried to make him sign a non-disclosure agreement and that it was insistent. He said he refused and that he would not be silenced. Is it the Government's intention to establish an independent inquiry into the matters pertaining to Baldonnel and members of the Air Corps?
Comment on this
The health and well-being of the men and women in the Air Corps is an absolute priority for me and the Government. While I cannot comment on the details or circumstances of individual cases, the Department of Defence is aware of a matter that was recently settled by mutual agreement between the parties involved and that the State did not seek to restrict the disclosure of the terms of the settlement.
An independent reviewer was appointed in 2016 to examine disclosures relating to people's exposure to chemical and toxic substances while working in the Air Corps in Baldonnel. The report of the independent reviewer noted that the Health and Safety Authority was the appropriate statutory body to deal with such allegations. The State Claims Agency is currently managing a number of claims for personal injuries relating to alleged exposure to chemical and toxic substances that people suffered while working in the Air Corps. There is ongoing engagement with the State Claims Agency in that context. As a result, it would not be appropriate to comment any further on the matter. The Minister for Defence can give further information about the matter directly to the Deputy.