I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 64, 67 and 139 together.
A total of 24 personnel who served with the 83rd Infantry Battalion are currently serving with the 84th Infantry Battalion.
My address to the PDFORRA annual delegate conference in Ennis on 8 October 1998 was wide-ranging and covered many issues. One of those issues was overseas service. I made the point that if significant problems were to arise in fulfilling our obligations in UNIFIL, we would have to pull out of Lebanon.
However, I am delighted to report that there were no problems with the numbers of volunteers for the 84th Infantry Battalion which departed at the end of October for service with UNIFIL. All positions in the battalion, with the exception of a cook, were filled by the rotation dates. For the first time in years, there is a waiting list of privates to serve in Lebanon. This is a testimony to the Government's policy of ongoing continuing recruitment of the Defence Forces. I thank the Deputies who tabled these questions which enabled me to again outline the progress we are making.