Vol. 503 No. 2
1 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the supports, personnel and resources the Defence Forces are prepared to make available to aid those fleeing the Kosovan crisis; and if the Defence Forces are becoming involved in United Nations Standby Arrangement Systems and the SHIRBRIG initiative. [9517/99]
The Government decided on 8 December 1998 to allow up to 30 members of the Permanent Defence Force and the Garda Síochána to participate in the Kosovo Verification Mission, KVM, which was established last year by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. It was intended that up to 27 members of the Defence Forces and up to three members of the Garda Síochána would be deployed.
Five members of the Defence Forces were deployed at the request of the OSCE and served in key appointments with the mission until they were evacuated to Macedonia on the order of the chairman in office of the OSCE on 20 March 1999 in advance of the NATO military action. The deployment of the further 22 military personnel had not been sought by the OSCE. The mission is being downsized from 1,400 personnel approximately to a core group of 200 personnel approximately. The question of whether the five Irish military personnel will be required by the OSCE to remain as part of this core group has yet to be decided.
Deputies will be aware that there is no other mission currently deployed to the Kosovo area. While there has, therefore, been no request for the deployment of troops to the area, any such request, should it be received at a future date, will be considered taking account of, inter alia, the prevailing circumstances, including the security situation, and within the context of the United Nations stand-by arrangements system. As I indicated in the House on 11 November 1998, during the course of my visit to the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 14-17 October 1998, I signed, on behalf of the Government, a memorandum of understanding which commits Ireland to the United Nations stand-by arrangements system.
UNSAS gives the UN a precise understanding of the forces and other capabilities that Ireland would have available at a given state of readiness for a UN peacekeeping operation. Ireland has committed a maximum of 850 military personnel for UN service at any one time under UNSAS. There would, however, be no obligation to participate in any particular mission and Dáil approval would be required for the dispatch of a contingent to a specific operation.
As regards the initiative known as SHIRBRIG, this initiative was sponsored by Denmark with a view to the establishment of a high readiness multinational brigade, composed of contributions to the UNSAS with the aim of deploying troops at short notice to troubled spots around the world. Ireland has been keeping a watching brief on this initiative. The question of participation by Ireland in SHIRBRIG is being considered in the light of the legal and practical implications which the concept would raise for Ireland.
Obviously, Kosovo is in the middle of a huge military and political crisis. If the situation should resolve somewhat, does the Minister envisage himself coming back to seek a resolution of the Dáil to involve Irish troops in perhaps peace enforcement in the area if a request is received either via the UN or OSCE? Given the huge humanitarian crisis with over 600,000 refugees moving out of Kosovo, does the Minister see a role in terms of personnel, logistical, medical or accommodation support for the Defence Forces perhaps in the neighbouring countries and supporting them in their efforts to deal with the crisis? Has that been considered? Are we in a position to provide help? Has the Minister had discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs in this regard?
We are now part of the UNSAS arrangement, which is a capacity for a rapid response to emergency circumstances. If a request is made, naturally it will be considered and brought before the Dáil. As the Deputy rightly said, we are dealing with an enormously difficult situation and a human catastrophe of immense proportions. One would have to be there to see its magnitude; we are witnessing it only on television. Any request would be dealt with sympathetically and quickly.
After the Honduras disaster, I requested the Defence Forces to see to what extent we could facilitate and help in that disaster. That disaster and the Kosovo crisis are not comparable but we were able to get a very fast response and already the troops are there. If a request is made, we will do whatever we can in terms of troops which would be required in the aftermath to try to keep the peace under UNSAS and a UN mandate, which would require the agreement of the Dáil, and other facilities which may be provided. This Government and the people would want us to respond positively and sympathetically. We will do what we can within the limits at our disposal.
I agree with the Minister that the people would want to see the Defence Forces getting involved in whatever way possible, particularly in relation to the humanitarian crisis. Given our other commitments, do we have the resources at the moment to provide an emergency response if requested? Are there any actions the Minister could take at this stage to ensure we have the personnel and equipment to respond? Could the Defence Forces support the aid organisations in the neighbouring countries of Albania and Macedonia?
There are limits to what we can do in terms of numbers, equipment and facilities. We are already fairly heavily committed in Lebanon and other places. Nonetheless, this is the first time for a number of years we have a reserve list waiting to do overseas duties. That such a situation has arisen shows we have at least some resources in terms of personnel and so on which would be available. It is not, however, limitless. The circumstances in which we find ourselves and the catastrophe facing the people in Kosovo and the refugees in the surrounding countries are such that they demand of us to do whatever can do. I would be optimistic that there is a certain amount of resources which we can use in those circumstances.
In relation to the SHIRBRIG initiative which the Danes launched, does our involvement in that depend on Ireland joining Partnership for Peace? Is that the condition the Minister meant when he said "depending on conditions which may arise"?
I already made our position clear in the context of the move towards joining Partnership for Peace. As regards the SHIRBRIG, there are legal implications if it comes under OSCE which would not exist if it came under a UN mandate. There are practical considerations in terms of what we could do in Kosovo. The Defence Forces are already in the Lebanon so there are practical implications as regards the resources we can spare at any given time to do a job. There are legal implications under OSCE and practical ones in terms of the resources we have left after we have dealt with the other demands made on us.
