Northern Ireland

Terms for military assistance have not been met

Health Minister Robin Swann said he had asked for military assistance almost two weeks ago.
Health Minister Robin Swann said he had asked for military assistance almost two weeks ago. Health Minister Robin Swann said he had asked for military assistance almost two weeks ago.

ALMOST two weeks after Health Minister Robin Swann said he had sought the military's assistance to help with the redistribution of essential life-saving equipment, none has been provided by the British army.

The Ulster Unionist MLA said at the time he had also asked the Minister of Defence to assist with the development of a further Nightingale facility "in the event of an extreme surge of Covid-19 patients".

As the surge has been much lower than expected it is now unlikely a Nightingale field hospital at the Maze will be required to deal with the coronavirus crisis in Northern Ireland.

A Department of Health spokesperson said they were currently receiving 'advice' from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

However The Irish News understands that this amounts to informal discussions about the proposed field hospital.

The request for logistical assistance has not been granted as the criteria for accessing support, known as Military Aid to Civic Authorities (MACA) has not yet been met.

MoD Joint Doctrine states that MACA can only be provided if "other options, including mutual aid and commercial alternatives, have been discounted" or if the the civil authority "lacks the necessary capability to fulfil the task and it is unreasonable or prohibitively expensive to expect it to develop one".

Sinn Féin criticised the proposal at the time saying it had not come before the Executive.

As the criteria set out in the MACA protocols has not been met, military aid, beyond advice, has not been grated to the department.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said they were "currently receiving advice from the military on the design and specification of a Nightingale facility for a second wave of Covid-19 admissions".

"The MoD is also ready to help in the event that the health service requires immediate assistance to transport patients, staff or equipment at short notice. Further specific requests for assistance will be made as necessary."

A spokesperson for the MoD told the Irish News: "The Ministry of Defence remains committed and prepared to assist the NI Executive in any way it can during this unprecedented public health crisis.

"There are well developed protocols under which the military can provided Military Assistance to the Civil Authority (MACA).

"All requests for MACA are considered on merit and this remains extant."

Up to 10,000 military personnel were placed on standby, as part of a COVID Support Force in Britain.

MACA in Britain was provided by the Royal Airforce with military repatriation flights, bringing British citizens home from China and Japan and those stranded on cruise ships.

Around150 soldiers were trained to drive oxygen tankers and military personnel helped build the Nightingale hospital in London but are not believed to have been involved in PPE distribution, which has to date been carried out by civilian personnel.