Coronavirus: Military mobilised and ‘ready to go’ in NI, says Army reservist and MLA

Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie, a veteran of the first battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, told the News Letter that reserve forces had been mobilised and are ready to go whenever a request is made for their assistance.

Mr Beattie, who holds the rank of major and is a sub unit commander within the Royal Irish Regiment’s second battalion, said that he is not among those who have thus far been mobilised to help fight the pandemic.

However, Mr Beattie, who won the Military Cross for bravery in Afghanistan, said that he is on a list of those who will be called upon to step in to take the place of any of those who become ill or otherwise have to drop out.

Last Friday Health Minister Robin Swann requested military aid to the civil authority in two areas – logistical support to move life-saving equipment to health sites, and work to examine the possibility of a field hospital at the site of the former Maze Prison.

Initially Sinn Fein responded by saying that it did not believe such a move was necessary. However, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill then said that her party would not seek to block the move and today she said: “My number one priority is to save lives and whatever is required – including using the British Army – to save lives, that’s what I will not stand in the way... [sic]”.

Mr Beattie said that with it being Easter weekend, a key time of commemoration for republicans, “I feel Michelle probably did have to come out and say something [critical].

“But honestly, I think everybody is doing their utmost to save lives here in Northern Ireland and Sinn Fein on reflection, will realise that if this saves even one life then it’s a compromise they should not just be willing to take, but it’s a compromise that they have to take and I think they will move in that direction.”

Mr Beattie said that the military aid would involve the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and would be “skills-based”. Dismissing republican claims that soldiers coming into Northern Ireland could carry more of the virus from GB, he said that there are 4,000 military personnel here, half of whom are reservists, and they would overwhelmingly be those involved, with the exception of perhaps “one or two specialists” coming in from GB.

He said that the military support would be “discrete” and pointed out that in recent weeks the military had worked with the Department of Justice to create a temporary morgue at Kinnegar.

There are specialist medical regiments in Northern Ireland and in Scotland military medics have been involved in testing for the virus.

Mr Beattie said: “The regulars and the reserves are now ready to go. They’re sitting there waiting for tasks to be filtered down the tunnel to them.”

He said there was “enthusiasm” to help and “the clamour from people wanting to mobilise was enormous. Morale is high. The military, like any others, want to help and just want to get on and do the job”.

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