State is lacking airborne defence

The Defence Forces can mount "point defence" against air attacks on Ireland, but have no airborne defence capacity, the Chief-of-Staff has conceded.

Lieut Gen Colm Mangan also said he was satisfied the Defence Forces were equipped to deal with nuclear, biological or chemical attacks, although to date the emphasis in preparations had been on Irish personnel serving overseas.

Presenting the Defence Forces 2000 annual report, Gen Mangan confirmed security had been reassessed in the wake of last month's events in the US. While Ireland was not under major threat of terrorist attack, he said, this did not mean there was no threat.

However, the provision of "interceptor" air defence - involving fighter jets - would require training for existing pilots, as well as the acquisition of special radar equipment. Such a capacity had been identified as a need for the Air Corps, but this would take time.

Currently, the Defence Forces relied on "point defence", in particular RBS 70 surface-to-air missiles - used for the first time by an Irish crew during a live firing exercise in Sweden last year.

In the area of nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) attacks, however, Gen Mangan said he was "happy" the forces had the equipment needed. Irish experience in Lebanon during the Gulf War - when he was battalion commander - increased awareness of the risk of NBC attacks, he said. Army purchases during 2000 included protective suits, gloves and boots, as well as decontamination equipment, and a portable chemical agent monitor.

Overall, Gen Mangan said the Government's White Paper on defence had created a "stable planning environment" in which the forces could evolve over the next 10 years.

They were facing "new challenges in overseas peace-keeping," most notably in Eritrea, as their long history of involvement in Lebanon came to an end. The report describes the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon in May 2000 as "the most significant development in the history of UNIFIL," preparing the way for the closure of a distinguished chapter in our history of peace-keeping".

Quoted in the annual report, the officer commanding the 87th Battalion describes visiting an Irish post in the settlement of At-Tiri the day after the Israeli withdrawal, and noting the newly-relaxed atmosphere among an extended family of villagers: "It was the first time for 20 years that children had been seen in the village. It was a profoundly moving experience. It seemed to justify all the sacrifice and dedication which had been made over the years."

The report was criticised by PDFORRA, the organisation representing rank and file members of the Defences Forces, which complained of "important omissions".

General secretary Mr John Lucey said the document was "flawed" in its failure to acknowledge the partnership concept of negotiations as a central aspect of the Government's Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. Soldiers were "stakeholders, with a right to be consulted on change issues," but this had been ignored in the report.

Mr Lucey added: "It is also quite remarkable that the announcement of a Defence Forces ombudsman by the Minister for Defence in October 2000 is not confirmed or at least alluded to in the report."