Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Sep 1995

Vol. 455 No. 8

Written Answers. - Irish Citizens in Former Yugoslavia.

Ray Burke

Question:

30 Mr. R. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens currently in the former Yugoslavia; their roles in the former Yugoslavia; and the provision in place for their protection. [13208/95]

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Apart from employees of the Irish Government who are serving with the UN peacekeeping forces and some of our citizens working with non-governmental relief organisations in the former Yugoslavia, there are about 50 Irish citizens in Croatia and Slovenia, the former Yugoslav Republics to which we have accredited ambassadors.

Eighteen members of the Gárda Síochána and nine members of the Defence Forces are serving with the UN peacekeeping forces in the former Yugoslavia; in addition, five members of the Defence Forces are serving with the European Community Monitor Mission (ECMM), two with the European Community Humanitarian Assistance Task Force (ECHATF) and two with the border-monitoring mission of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia (ICFY). Two Irish Customs officials are serving with the OSCE Sanctions Assistance Mission monitoring the implementation of UN sanctions.

Three Irish citizens are working in the former Yugoslavia with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Seven of our citizens are working there with non-governmental organisations: five with the Red Cross and one each with Refugee Trust and International Medical Corps.

Our embassies in Berne and Vienna, in co-operation with other EU embassies in Ljubljana and Zagreb, are responsible for the protection of Irish citizens in Croatia, other than those serving with the UN and in Slovenia. In accordance with long-standing arrangements with regard to Irish citizens in countries where we are not represented, the British embassies provide consular protection for the very small number of our citizens in Bosnia-Herzogovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including Irish members of the ICFY monitoring mission.

The protection of Irish Government employees serving with the UN peacekeeping forces is the responsibility of the United Nations. The ECMM and ECHATF liaise closely with the UN about the protection of their staff.