Vol. 509 No. 4
83 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence his Department's preparedness to send troops to East Timor; the plans, if any, he has to increase the size of the force proposed for East Timor; if Ireland can meet additional requests for future international help in peacekeeping; and the number of members of the Defence Forces available to serve overseas should requests be made. [20534/99]
133 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence his Department's preparedness to send troops to East Timor; the plans, if any, he has to increase the size of the force proposed for East Timor; whether Ireland can meet additional requests for future international help in peacekeeping; and the number of members of the Defence Forces available to serve overseas should this request be made. [20518/99]
155 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Defence if further Irish troops will be sent to East Timor in the event of Indonesia reinvading the territory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20593/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 133 and 155 together.
On 12 October 1999 the Dáil approved the dispatch of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the multinational force in East Timor (INTERFET), established under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1264 of 15 September 1999. The contingent which compromises 40 personnel, including 30 personnel from the Army Ranger Wing (ARW), departed for Darwin, Australia on 13 October, 1999. They will deploy to East Timor on or about 22 October, 1999 following training and acclimatisation in Townsville, Australia. Participation by the Defence Forces in INTERFET will be for an initial period of four months, with the possibility of a replacement contingent serving for a further period of four months to mid-June 2000.
The contingent is in addition to the three officers of the Permanent Defence Force who are deployed since July, 1999 with the UN mission in East Timor (UNAMET). It will be recalled that all personnel of the UNAMET mission were evacuated from East Timor on 17 September 1999 in view of the prevailing security situation. The three personnel will continue with UNAMET now that the mission has returned to East Timor.
There are no plans to increase the size of the present Defence Forces contribution to either INTERFET or UNAMET.
The total number of Defence Forces personnel currently serving with UN missions is 843. This number is subject to fluctuation in line with changes in mission strengths, repatriations etc. Requests for personnel of the Defence Forces to serve on overseas missions are considered on their merits in the prevailing circumstances within the context of the United Nations stand-by arrangements system (UNSAS). Among the factors taken into account when considering the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas are security considerations at home and the level of existing overseas commitments.
