Willie Penrose
Question:59 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Defence the duties being carried out by members of the Permanent Defence Forces in former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18214/97]
Written Answers - Defence Forces Duties.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force are currently serving with the following missions in the former Yugoslavia.
(1) Stabilisation Force, SFOR, in Bosnia and Hercegovina
A Defence Forces military police contingent comprising 50 personnel was dispatched to serve with SFOR on 1 July 1997. The contingent forms part of the International Military Police Company at SFOR headquarters in Sarajevo. The composition of the contingent is as follows: contingent commander at SFOR HQ, military police company headquarters 16 personnel, military police platoon totalling 27 personnel and a national support element six personnel. The duties carried out by the Irish personnel include: (a) enforcement of military discipline and good order; (b) monitoring and control of military vehicular traffic including investigation of road traffic accidents; (c) enforcement of SFOR protection policy, that is the implementation of SFOR safety measures to protect soldiers, civilian employees, facilities and equipment; (d) investigations of incidents involving SFOR personnel or property; (e) HQ security functions, for example security checks on SFOR compounds; (f) liaison with local police and the UN International Police Task Force, IPTF; and (g) operation of 24 hour international MP stations at SFOR HQ and-or other SFOR locations at Sarajevo.
(2) United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES)
Four officers are serving with this mission in an observer capacity.
(3) United Nations Preventative Deployment — Macedonia (UNPREDEP)
Two officers are serving with this mission in an observer capacity.
(4) United Nations Mission of Observers Prevlaka (UNMOP)
One officer is serving with this mission in an observer capacity.
(5) Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, Mission to Bosnia and Hercegovina
Six officers are serving with this mission in an observer capacity.
(6) European Community Monitoring Mission to the Former Yugoslavia (ECMM)
Eight officers and one NCO are serving with this mission - the former as monitors and the latter in a clerical capacity.