Ivor Callely
Question:270 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Defence the cost of the Irish Presidency to his Department. [25153/96]
Written Answers. - EU Presidency.
The cost of the EU Presidency to my Department may be set out as follows:
Ireland has been responsible for the control and management of the European Community Monitor Mission to the Former Yugoslavia (ECMM). There is currently a total of 88 Irish personnel serving with the ECMM of whom 78 are members of the Permanent Defence Force. The additional costs, payable from the Defence Vote, are estimated to be slightly in excess of £1.5 million.
Additional costs are also being incurred by the Department of Defence during Ireland's Presidency of the EU in the area of security and in the use of an air taxi service to meet additional transport requirements of Ministers during the period. The final cost of the air taxi service operated for the duration of the Presidency is estimated, subject to the receipt of some invoices, at £850,000. It is not possible to cost the element in the area of security which is directly attributable to our Presidency of the EU.