An Cosantóir

27 (AR) Damien O'Herlihy that the appropriate standard was achieved. But as we all know at this stage, this isn't the normal middle of May that we are all used to experiencing. Reserve Defence Forces training has been placed on hold during the Covid emergency. The last time that this happened was during the foot and mouth outbreak from March 2001 to September 2001. The country went into lockdown and yet again the Defence Forces unselfishly and willingly answered the country's call. Many PDF personnel were deployed to the border to help bolster the hastily set up check points that ensured no infected livestock were transported into the Republic that could have devastating effects on the National herd. Many reservists also answered the call and filled in the gaps left by these personnel and carried out multiple barrack duties the length and breadth of the country to ensure that day-to-day operations were able to continue. Today nearly twenty years later this is being repeated. Members of both Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve have been called up to assist their colleagues in the PDF whether it's assisting in JTAF or transporting PPE from Dublin airport to various distribution centres around the country or transporting medical personnel or Covid tests. The Naval Service Reserve personnel have assisted in the support and operation of HSE test sites co located with Irish Naval vessels in Dublin, Cork and Galway. This doesn't take away from the fact that there are numerous members of the Reserve who through their civilian occupations are working on the front line as medical personnel, shop workers, delivery vehicle drivers or business owners all of whom are contributing to the fight against Covid 19. However, the work of the planning cells will not go to waste as there are plans to return to training in line with the return to work protocols as directed by the government. The timeframes and dates will have changed to reflect the current situation of course, but the essentials to ensure that the required permissions are obtained will still have to be carried out in a timely fashion to ensure that all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. As the Irish Poet Seamus Heaney said "If we can winter this one out we can summer anywhere" the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve will be back training again and as ever we will be ready, willing and able to answer the call to serve our country and citizens again. "IF WE CAN WINTER THIS ONE OUT WE CAN SUMMER ANYWHERE" By

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