Opposition parties to raise Irish Army Air Corps claims in the Dáil

​Opposition parties are to raise whistleblowers’ concerns on the management of air corps staff exposure to hazardous chemicals in the Dáil today.

Read more on the Irish Examiner website

OHSI 24th Annual Conference – “Risky Business”

Chemical Agent Risk Assessment Workshop – Speakers

Commandant Colin Roche has over 30 years service in the Air Corps. During that period he has been involved in the maintenance and management of the Air Corps fleet. He was also for over a decade responsible for health and safety management. He is the Defence Forces expert in occupational and weapons noise and in this context has established the hearing protection standard for the Defence Forces.

Read more on the Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland website

 

Air Corps whistleblowers’ struggle for an investigation

Christmas week 2015, and as the country busied itself preparing for the festive season, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, defence minister Simon Coveney, and junior defence minister Paul Kehoe paid a pre-election visit to Irish troops serving peace-keeping operations in Lebanon and the Golan Heights.

Photographs released from the highly publicised trip saw the Taoiseach and his travelling party don blue helmets as they went to thank the troops and their families for their service.

However, not everyone was impressed with the visit.

Read more on the Irish Examiner website

Simon Coveney & Enda Kenny were warned of Air Corps concerns

Three whistleblowers warned Enda Kenny and then defence minister Simon Coveney about conditions at the Air Corps headquarters almost a year before the health watchdog issued a critical report on the management of hazardous chemicals at Casement Aerodrome.

Read more on the Irish Examiner website

Jet Fuel Toxins More Of A Problem To Airfield Workers Than To Travelers

If you are a frequent flier for business or pleasure, should you be worried about jet fuel exposure? People who are exposed to jet fuel vapors only occasionally typically have a chance to recover between flights. For them, problems from jet fuel are likely to be minimal.

But if you work at the airport, especially if you work in close proximity to planes, or you live under a flight path, the toxic effects of jet fuel pollution should be a concern for you. Here are seven facts airfield and airport workers and people who live close (within 1 mile/2 km) of airports need to know.

Read full article on Steady Health

20 years on from the Brigit McCole Case, Michael Noonan still in power, victims still the enemy…

Letter shows State saw Bridget McCole not as the victim but as the enemy

From the start of his involvement with the aftermath of the hepatitis C debacle, Michael Noonan seemed determined to hold the departmental line. This meant, firstly, insisting that the expert group report published in February 1995 was the last word on the scandal.

Secondly, it involved an insistence that the victims should be compensated through the tribunal established for that purpose rather than through the courts. The tribunal made awards without admission of liability, whereas the courts would seek to establish, in essence, who was to blame.

Read more on the Irish Times website

Ó Snodaigh supports pending court cases being brought by Air Corps personnel

Parliament of Australia – Committee Activities (Inquiries & Reports)

On Thursday 25 June 2009, the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade tabled its report on the inquiry into RAAF F-111 Deseal/Reseal workers and their families entitled Sealing a just outcome: Report from the Inquiry into RAAF F-111 Deseal/Reseal workers and their families.

State to fight Irish Army Air Corps toxic exposure lawsuits

The State is facing at least six separate legal actions from former members of the Air Corps who allege they have suffered serious illnesses as a result of “chronic exposure” to the chemicals they came in contact with as a part of their daily duties.

Read more on the Irish Examiner website