The number of Defence Forces personnel currently serving with UN missions is 706, details of which follow in the form of a tabular statement.
The position in relation to requests for personnel for such missions is that any such requests are considered on their merits in the prevailing circumstances within the context of the United Nations Stand-by Arrangements System – UNSAS. Under the UNSAS, the maximum number of military personnel available to serve on overseas missions with the United Nations at any one time is 850. There is no obligation to participate in any mission and it would be a matter for the Government and the Dáil, as appropriate, to decide on the deployment, or redeployment as necessary, of contingents of the Defence Forces to individual missions.
On behalf of Ireland, I signed a memorandum of understanding with the UN when I visited UN headquarters, New York, in October 1998. The decision to participate in UNSAS is a tangible expression of Ireland's continuing commitment to involvement in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force serving with UN missions at 10 June 1999