Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 5

Written Answers. - Overseas Missions.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

50 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Defence the plans he has for further opportunities for overseas service by Defence Forces personnel, having regard to the fact that the UNIFIL mandate may be coming to an end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17488/00]

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

62 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Defence if he will give an up to date report on security in the Lebanon; and if Irish troops are likely to remain there under the UN flag. [17447/00]

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

68 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence his views on the continued participation by the Defence Forces in UNIFIL, having regard to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the generally improved situation in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17482/00]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 62 and 68 together.

I have already dealt in detail with the present situation in Lebanon in my reply to earlier priority questions on the matter. As the House will be aware Ireland signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations in relation to the United Nations Stand-by Arrangements System, UNSAS. Ireland has committed up to 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. The decision to participate in UNSAS is a tangible expression of Ireland's continuing commitment to involvement in peacekeeping operations.

The matter of Defence Forces participation in overseas missions is kept under regular review. There exists a standing interdepartmental committee on peacekeeping, under the chairmanship of the Department of Foreign Affairs whose function, inter alia, is to provide a forum for the exchange of views on policy issues relating to Ireland's participation in international peacekeeping with a view to increasing the effectiveness and coherence of policy in this area and to ensure that policy and its implementation can keep pace in a co-ordinated way with development in international peacekeeping. In addition, I propose to bring the results of a completed review of the commitments of the Defence Forces to overseas tasks, as provided for in the White paper on Defence, to Government at an early date. This review will take account, inter alia, of the developing situation in UNIFIL in the post Israeli withdrawal situation. UNIFIL has been Ireland's longest and largest peace support contribution spanning a period of over 20 years. While the prospects for long-term peace seem more hopeful now that Israel has withdrawn from Lebanese territory, the UN is likely to maintain a continuing role in Lebanon for some time.

It will be recalled that UNIFIL was established in 1978 to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces; to restore international peace and security and to assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area. Even with the confirmation of Israeli withdrawal there is, as can be seen, still unfinished business in relation to the mandate of UNIFIL. After advising the UN Security Council that Israeli withdrawal is now complete the Secretary-General departed immediately for the region to meet the leaders there in order to see what the UN can do to consolidate and build on that historic development. The Secretary-General is still in the region. The Government is monitoring the situation.