Vol. 426 No. 6
40 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Defence if he has requested the United Nations to restore the free small parcel post concession to Irish Army personnel serving with UNIFIL in the Lebanon; and if he will outline the action, if any, he proposes to take in this matter.
Personnel serving with UNIFIL have been and continue to be entitled to free postage of letters and post cards under 10 grams, subject to a limit of five letters and cards per week.
It became the practice for small parcels to be accepted without charge at the United Nations Base Post Office at UNIFIL Headquarters Naqoura. This practice was unofficial and on 7 October 1992 the UNIFIL authorities directed that, due to budgetary restrictions, instructions regarding postal arrangements must be strictly enforced, thus effectively abolishing the unofficial free parcel post. This direction applies to all UNIFIL contingents.
The matter has been taken up with the United Nations with a view to restoring the parcel post concession.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Is he aware of how important this concession was to the personnel serving under the United Nations flag with UNIFIL? The Irish Army personnel felt it was of great value to them and there was great shock among the troops when the facility was withdrawn. Would the Minister agree that this seems to be a penny pinching exercise which should very quickly be done away with and the concession restored at an early date?
Yes, it is rather pathetic penny pinching. When I visit the Lebanon next month I will continue to address the problem. I know people might, in a sort of sophisticated way, say that this is not important to the troops but, of course, it is important to them.
I will give a short history of what has happened to date. On 16 December 1992 the Department of Foreign Affairs was requested to approach the United Nations with a view to restoring the parcel post concession between Lebanon and Ireland for Irish personnel serving with UNIFIL. Following an approach by the Irish Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York, the United Nations undertook to investigate the possibility of a more liberal interpretation of the UNIFIL directive regarding postal arrangements which would allow restoration of the free parcel facility. The Irish Permanent Mission made a further approach to the United Nations early in February 1993 and was informed that Major General Furuhovee, the incoming UNIFIL Force Commander, who was taking up duty with effect from 23 February 1993, had been briefed on the matter and promised to investigate it. Recent representations have been received concerning this matter. People may not consider it an important issue but it is something I will deal with when I visit the Lebanon.
I am glad that the Minister has undertaken to intervene. I do not think this is a small matter. It is important that our troops who are serving so far away from home are given the opportunity to avail of the service. It is a particularly mean cutback. It seems to be the United Nations who are at fault and it is not fashionable to criticise the United Nations. Would the Minister not accept that the United Nations has a bit of a brass neck to apply this kind of restriction which affects our troops in the Lebanon when they owe the country upwards of $20 million arising out of the operation of our troops in the Lebanon? It seems totally unfair on their part to apply this restriction in that situation.
I agree with the Deputy. It is unfortunate that this important problem should be brought into a bureaucratic mish mash and that major generals, diplomatic missions, the United Nations — probably Boutros Boutros Ghali for all we know — are brought into this. It should be solved now in order to give the serving soldiers and Army personnel the peace of mind to which they and their families are entitled.
I thank the Minister and his officials for their prompt response to my earlier representations in this matter and I wish him success before he travels there.
