At the United Nations Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial held in Vancouver in 2017, Ireland pledged certain training capabilities for delivery in Ireland at the UN Training School in the Curragh (UNTSI). The military courses were in response to an identified UN need and offered as part of the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System. Ireland has successfully delivered on our training pledges to the UN and is strongly recognised for its expertise in delivering these courses, particularly the Protection of Civilians course. Countries who are members of the United Nations can apply to participate on these courses.
In addition, Ireland has been a member of Partnership for Peace since 1999 and part of our commitments under this Programme is to host PfP training courses which Ireland has done over the last decade.
Costs in the main are met by the home nation of the foreign student and in the case of PfP training courses, funding has been made available to Ireland from the Programme to host the courses.
I have been advised by Military Management of the following details in relation to Israeli Defence Forces personnel attendance at these courses conducted in Ireland since 2001.
Table 1: Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) personnel attendance at courses conducted in the Irish Defence Forces since 2001.
|
Year
|
Course Title
|
IDF Participants
|
Remarks
|
|
|
UNTSI (UN Training School Ireland)
|
|
|
|
2001
|
United Nations Military Observer and Staff Officer Course
|
1
|
|
|
2018
|
International Protection of Civilians Course
|
1
|
|
|
2018
|
International Civil Military Relations Course
|
2
|
|
|
2019
|
International Civil Military Relations Course
|
1
|
|
|
|
Ordnance School
|
|
|
|
2010
|
NATO Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD)
|
1
|
|
|
2017
|
NATO Commanders Marauding Counter Terrorism Attack Course
|
1
|
Civilian Student
|
|
|
Other Defence Forces Courses
|
|
|
|
2019
|
UN Buddy First Aid Course
|
1
|
Conducted in Galway by CMU on behalf of UN
|
Military Management have also advised that the costs for these courses are borne by the home nation of the foreign student and that there are currently no plans for Israeli Defence Forces personnel to attend Irish Defence Forces training courses in 2024.
I can assure the Deputy that I have been closely monitoring developments in the case taken under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide by South Africa against Israel in the International Court of Justice. The public hearings that took place on 11 and 12 January involved the two parties to the proceedings, South Africa and Israel, and focused on the question of provisional measures. The Court is likely to issue its ruling on the request for provisional measures in the coming weeks. Any provisional measures ordered by the Court will be binding on the parties to which the orders are addressed. The Court’s decision on provisional measures will be analysed carefully by the Government once it has been published. We will also continue to consult closely with our international partners, including South Africa.
