Vol. 519 No. 3
45 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Defence if he expects that the Defence Forces will continue to be in a position to meet all requirements for personnel for UN duty abroad from volunteers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13687/00]
106 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Defence the number of Irish troops serving overseas; if there are difficulties in meeting our commitments in this regard; if there are outstanding moneys due to the Exchequer in relation to such overseas service; by whom and the amount involved; and the steps being taken to recover such outstanding amounts. [13347/00]
111 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Defence if there is difficulty at present in recruiting adequate numbers to serve in the Lebanon; the number of personnel who have been requested as opposed to those who volunteered to serve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13698/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 106 and 111 together.
As these are three Oral Questions the time allocated is not more than 18 minutes.
The number of Defence Forces personnel currently serving on overseas missions is 872. Details of these missions are in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
The Government's policy of continuous recruitment to the Defence Forces has resulted in a significant increase in the number of volunteers for overseas service. I am happy to report that there were sufficient volunteers to fill all appointments in the 87th Infantry Battalion UNIFIL, which departed for service last month.
With regard to the question of moneys owed in respect of UN missions overseas, the only missions for which Ireland is entitled to reimbursement of troop costs by the UN are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Troop costs in respect of these missions are calculated at the rate of $1,087.10 per person per month.
The total amount owing to my Department by the United Nations as at 30 April 2000 in respect of contributions towards troop and other costs associated with the participation of Defence Forces personnel in UN missions, is calculated at £7.1 million, approximately. Continuous efforts are made to recover the moneys owed from the United Nations. These efforts are strenuously pursued with the United Nations on an ongoing basis by the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York. Both my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and I take every opportunity to raise with the UN Ireland's concerns regarding arrears. Since 1 January 1999, the UN has repaid arrears of £9.5 million approximately, almost entirely in respect of UNIFIL in South Lebanon.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force currently serving Overseas at 11 May 2000
|
1. |
UN Missions |
||
|
(i) |
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) |
611 |
|
|
(ii) |
UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) – Israel, Syria and Lebanon |
10 |
|
|
(iii) |
UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) |
4 |
|
|
(iv) |
UNIKOM (United Nations Iraq Kuwait Observer Mission) |
7 |
|
|
(v) |
MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) |
6 |
|
|
(vi) |
UNAMET (United Nations Mission to East Timor) |
3 |
|
|
(vii) |
UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosovo) |
3 |
|
|
(viii) |
UNMOP (United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka) |
1 |
|
|
(ix) |
UNTAET (United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor) |
40 |
|
|
(x) |
USFOR Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina SFOR HQ Sarajevo |
51 |
|
|
(xi |
KFOR Kosovo Force |
104 |
|
|
Total number of personnel serving with UN missions |
840 |
||
|
2. |
EU Missions |
||
|
European Community Monitor Mission (ECMM) to the former Yugoslavia |
12 |
||
|
3. |
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) |
||
|
(i) |
OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina |
8 |
|
|
(ii) |
OSCE Mission in Croatia |
4 |
|
|
(iii) |
OSCE Mission in Kosovo |
1 |
|
|
(iv) |
OSCE Presence in Albania |
1 |
|
|
(v) |
Staff Officer, Higher Level Planning Group, Vienna |
1 |
|
|
Total OSCE |
15 |
||
|
4. |
WEU HQ (Brussels) |
||
|
There is one officer on secondment to the Western European Union (WEU) Military Staff in Brussels |
1 |
||
|
5. |
Military Liaison Officers/ Advisors/Delegates (on secondment to Dept of Foreign Affairs |
||
|
(i) |
Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UNHQ, New York |
1 |
|
|
(ii) |
Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna |
1 |
|
|
(iii) |
Military Delegate to Ireland's Observer Delegation to Western European Union, Brussels |
1 |
|
|
(iv) |
Military Liaison Officer, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Mons, Belgium (SFOR) |
1 |
|
|
Total Number of Defence Forces Personnel Serving Overseas |
872 |
I am amazed that the UN owes us so much money. I know that all the relevant Departments are trying to ensure it is paid, but surely the fact that so much money is outstanding is holding up progress with regard to the Department of Defence? In a previous reply the Minister answered many of the issues I wanted to raise. FCA members may have some of the crafts and trades that are required for the establishment of overseas missions, so that matter should be examined. Has the Minister reviewed the situation concerning apprentices and will apprentices be taken on this year?
It would be wrong to say the Defence Forces are awash with money and that we are not really being held up because of moneys due to us from the United Nations. We are well able to manage without it for the time being, but that does not lessen the continuous effort to make sure these arrears are paid. In fairness to the United Nations, there has been a progressive improvement in the past 18 months. We have to bear in mind that one major donor country is considerably in arrears in making its contribution to the UN, which presents difficulties for the United Nations. It is important to realise that progressively, as regional organisations take over peace-keeping missions under UN mandates, it will be particularly dependent upon donor countries producing their own resources in order to make this happen in future. We must plan for that eventuality.
We do not have anything missing in terms of our existing contingents. As I said earlier, we have special problems concerning some specialities which we are able to manage, although just barely sometimes. Overseas missions will have a morale-boosting effect on the new reserve following longer training with better equipment and facilities. However, due to the preparations that have to be made, this will probably not take place for a year. As far as the apprentices are concerned, we look to the existing institutions, where possible, to provide essential apprenticeship courses and training, and draw our numbers from there.
As has been proved, it is not possible for the Defence Forces to expend the kind of money which was expended in the past. The institutes of technology and other educational institutions are well suited to doing that and we can draw from that resource. I have given a commitment that in areas where this is not catered for I will look to see what the needs are and how they can be addressed. It is a minor problem in the overall context of educational and technical support services in education.
Has the Government taken a decision on providing extra troops in south Lebanon? As regards the "Prime Time" programme on service overseas and the sad and disturbing reports on the men who were murdered in south Lebanon, will the Department follow up on some of the issues raised?
I had the opportunity of seeing the programme last night but I have to confess that I was not familiar with these problems until I saw it. I immediately called a management meeting this morning to discuss what we could do. I understand there has been some contact with my Department today from some members of one of those families. It made for very sad viewing because it was clear that wrong decisions were taken at the time and that the safety of the troops should have been of a higher priority in the context of how things were done. I will have to examine the matter further to see what intervention I can make.
As regards the Deputy's second question, we are considering such a request. It is fair to say that we would be able to increase our numbers if the requirement was proven. It is important to realise that we have to have close monitoring of what is happening in south Lebanon and how matters develop up to 7 July, the date for the proposed withdrawal of Israeli forces to the border. In one sense, it is unusual to receive a request of this nature when a peace process is supposed to be working. One would imagine that over a period of time the deployment of troops would be reduced rather than the contrary.
That would certainly be the expectation.
Nonetheless, we are examining the matter. We are in a position to make some adjustments in terms of increased numbers but we must have further discussions with the force commander and deputy commander in Lebanon, as well as with the Israeli authorities.
I welcome the Minister's statement on last night's television programme. It would be very welcome if the Minister could become involved and deal with some of the issues, even at this late stage.
Will the Minister tell me if it was necessary to order members of the Defence Forces to go overseas recently, especially to the Lebanon? In other words, was there a shortage of volunteers and, if so, how many? Is this something that is relatively new? Did I hear the Minister correctly a few minutes ago say that he expects the new reserve to be in a position to go overseas within the next 12 months? Can he confirm that is what he said? What are the specific problem areas the Minister referred to with regard to special skills that are required overseas and in the Defence Forces generally?
To take the Deputy's final question first, they are the medical and engineering areas, and sometimes the culinary area. The practice has always been to have volunteers only.
For one reason or other, some people have been given different reasons they should not serve overseas. It is important that the management examines all that to see whether those reasons are justifiable. In essence, 99.9% of the people who go abroad are volunteers. A tiny percentage have to be coaxed a little. That is the best way I can put it because it is not something in which I am directly involved but it is something I have come across in the context of representations on behalf of very small numbers.
In relation to the FCA, it is probably ambitious that it can happen within a year but in the context of some of the people I know who have considerable training and experience in the specialties where we have some difficulty, it would be important to open up that facility as quickly as possible because it would get the implementation plan, morale and the different problems being experienced in the reserve moving a little better. We need to get that co-operation with the PDF as well.
I call Deputy Jim O'Keeffe who submitted Question No. 106.
I apologise. I had not realised the question would be reached but I am glad that has happened. There are two areas I want to focus on, and I hope there will be no repetition. I am concerned about the changing security position in southern Lebanon. What considerations now influence the Minister in the context of those changes? Ireland has been engaged in honourable service there over many years. How does the Minister see our role in the future in light of the withdrawal and the possible new situation in the area?
My other question involves a more hard-nosed financial concern, namely, the outstanding moneys due to us from the United Nations and the steps, if any, the Minister can take to get rid of that long-standing hoary chestnut. What are we doing about it? Why will it not pay up?
The Deputy will have to keep in closer consultation with his colleagues as to what is happening. There has been a considerable improvement in the past year and a half. Arrears in excess of £9 million have been paid but there are outstanding arrears of £7.1 million. It is working better than it was previously. I explained already that some of the donor countries are very much in arrears so the United Nations has its own problems. For the future, as regional organisations under UN mandate take over peacekeeping, the pressure will be very much on the countries contributing troops to make their own arrangements and we have to prepare for that as well. We are looking forward to successful peace negotiations in the Middle East. There are a considerable number of problems ahead that have yet to be resolved for us to be sure of the safety of our troops in south Lebanon in the new scenario. We welcome Barak's statement. We hope it can be fully implemented and that the other matters relating to that can also be ironed out. We are in constant touch with the Israeli authorities and the commander, first commander and deputy commander assessing the situation. We have been asked for additional troops. We are in a position to meet some of that requirement but we are waiting to be sure that the overall position is safe enough for us. As I have said publicly on a few occasions, I do not want our troops to be caught in crossfire in difficult circumstances, and we need to iron that out first.
Is the old Hadad militia, the SLA, still operational in the area or where does it stand in the whole equation?
It is still operational. Some commitments have been given over the years as to what would happen in the peace circumstance. I do not want to go into that in detail in the House but it would be one of the areas that would present real problems for us if anything were to go wrong in the context of commitments that were given in the past. I do not want to say any more on that.
I want to be associated with Deputy Fitzgerald's remarks in relation to last night's programme and I am pleased that the Minister intends to take some action in relation to same.
I want to ensure that the Minister and I are on the same wavelength with regard to people being coaxed to go overseas. Is the Minister saying that no soldier was ordered –"detailed" is the word used in military parlance – to go overseas recently? The Minister said that 99.9% were volunteers. Does that mean that 0.1% were ordered to go, or what does it mean?
The figure 99.9% is often given, and I gave it in that context, as meaning there were virtually 100% volunteers, and that has always been the position. It has been greatly eased by constant recruitment but, as I said earlier, it came to my notice, and I was trying to be as fair and open as I could be to the House in the context of the question, that there were small numbers in certain specialties where the kind of repetitive reasons given over the years for not going tended not to be acceptable in the long run, having agreed to them in earlier times. Whether the Deputy regards that as coaxing or whatever—
Were they specifically asked to go?
I do not think so.
Yes or no? Were they given specific orders? That is what I want to know.
This is not a question of "yes" or "no" because I am not responsible for this aspect. It is a military matter. They have full control over these matters. They do an excellent job and to the best of my knowledge nobody has been ordered to go.
They were pressurised to go. Would that be fair?
We now come to Question No. 46. As three of these questions are oral questions, a time of not more than 18 minutes is allocated to them.
