Vol. 530 No. 4
43 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which Irish troops have been involved in training in conjunction with other forces within the EU in the context of Partnership for Peace; if this involves an upgrading or updating of equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3947/01]
105 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the changes in training and equipment that have taken place or are likely to take place in the Air Corps arising from commitments under air sea rescue operations and under Partnership for Peace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4222/01]
107 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself that the Naval Service has achieved a sufficiently high degree of modernisation of training and equipment to meet all possible requirements arising from our participation in Partnership for Peace and air sea rescue operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4224/01]
108 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which the Army is required to modernise in terms of equipment and training arising from our participation in international peacekeeping or other anticipated commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4225/01]
110 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which military equipment, including vehicles, weapons and training facilities, have been upgraded and modernised in keeping with anticipated requirements arising from our participation in Partnership for Peace and other overseas peacekeeping missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4227/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 105, 107, 108 and 110 together.
As the House will be aware Ireland joined Partnership for Peace, PfP, on 1 December 1999. PfP is of importance in facilitating planning and co-operation in humanitarian, rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management tasks, the Petersberg Tasks. In consultation with the NATO secretariat, an individual partnership programme has been developed for the year 2001 which sets out the level and extent of proposed participation in such areas as co-operation in peacekeeping principles, doctrine, training, exercises and interoperability in peacekeeping operations.
Ireland's involvement in PfP in the year 2001 will focus on the enhancement of current skills and expertise in such areas as operational and generic planning for peacekeeping and peace support, communications, command and control, operational procedures and logistics. This will take the form of participation at appropriate meetings, seminars and training courses. Ireland intends to participate in the PfP planning and review process, PARP, with a view to enhancing interoperability with our PfP partners in such areas as tactics, operational cohesion, logistics and language training. The aim is to create the conditions in which different contingents can work together efficiently and effectively. Ireland wishes to contribute its UN peacekeeping experience by playing an active part in the Petersberg Tasks in support of the European Union's CFSP. Ireland sees PfP in general, and the PARP in particular, as having a significant role in co-operation and planning for participation in such tasks.
It is the policy of the Government to ensure that the Defence Forces are adequately trained, equipped and resourced to undertake whatever activities with which they may be tasked from time to time. In this regard, participation in PfP does not involve the imposition of any changes in Defence Forces training procedures and equipment. In the White Paper on Defence, published last year, the Government set out its strategy for defence covering the period up to 2010, based on the evolving national and international security environment. A major objective of this strategy, which embraces organisational, equipment, training and technology aspects, is the reshaping of our Defence Forces and the reallocation of resources to new equipment for the overseas peace support role in the context of modern peacekeeping and crisis management.
