Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 5

Written Answers. - Overseas Missions.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

177 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces are likely to become involved in further peacekeeping operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5014/03]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

The total number of Defence Forces personnel currently serving overseas is 440. Full details are as listed in the following tabular statement.

The question of Defence Forces participation in overseas missions is kept under regular review. Requests from the UN for Irish participation in new missions are considered on a case by case basis within the context of the United Nations Stand-by Arrangement System – UNSAS – to which Ireland has committed up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time.

In the context of European Security and Defence Policy – ESDP – , Ireland's commitment to the Headline Goal consists of an offer of up to 850 members of the Defence Forces from within our existing commitment of 850 personnel to UNSAS. Accordingly, our commitment to the Headline Goal does not have any implications for our commitment to the United Nations. Ireland will only participate on peace support operations subject to specific Government decision, Dáil approval and UN authorisation – the so-called "triple lock".

Members of the Permanent Defence Force serving Overseas with effect from 11 February, 2003

1.	UN Missions
	(i) UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon)	7
	(ii) UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) –Israel, Syria and Lebanon	14
	(iii) UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus)	6
	(iv) UNIKOM (United Nations Iraq Kuwait Observer Mission)	6
	(v) MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)	4
	(vi) UNMIK (United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo)	3
	(vii) UNMISET (United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor)	4
	(viii) UNMEE (United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea)	218
	(ix) MONUC (United Nations Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo)	2
	UN Mandated Missions(x) SFOR Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina SFOR HQ Sarajevo	15
	(xi) KFOR International Security Presence in Kosovo	114
	(xii) ISAF International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan	7
	Total number of personnel serving with UN missions	400
2.	EU Mission
	European Union Monitor Mission (EUMM) to the former Yugoslavia	14
3.	Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
	(i) OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina	3
	(ii) OSCE Mission in Croatia	1
	(iii) OSCE Mission in Kosovo	1
	(iv) OSCE Presence in Albania	1
	(v) OSCE Mission in FRY	2
	(vi) OSCE Mission in Macedonia	1
	(vii) OSCE Mission in Georgia	2
	(viii) Staff Officer, Higher Level Planning Group, Vienna	1
	Total number of personnel serving OSCE	12
4.	Head of Military Staff (Brussels)	1
5.	EU Military Staff (Brussels)	3
6.	Liaison Office of Ireland, PfP (Brussels)	3
7.	Permanent Representative to EU (Brussels)	4
8.	Military Representatives/Advisers/(on secondment to Dept of Foreign Affairs)
	(i) Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York	1
	(ii) Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna	1
	(iii) Military Representative to Partnership Co-ordination Cell/SupremeHeadquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Mons, Belgium	1
	Total number Defence Forces personnel serving overseas	440*

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

178 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which the Naval Service and the Air Corps are likely to be involved in peacekeeping commitments in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5015/03]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

While individual members of both the Naval Service and the Air Corps have served overseas in varying roles, it is not proposed at this time to deploy the Naval Service or the Air Corps in peacekeeping operations in the future. In the White Paper on Defence, the question of deploying the Air Corps was considered and it was decided that, given the domestic demands on Air Corps resources, it would not be reasonable for it to participate beyond the domestic context.

In relation to the Naval Service, the primary day-to-day activity of the Naval Service is fishery protection. This commitment represents a considerable challenge for the Naval Service, which is working hard to improve performance in this regard. Against this background, it is not proposed to deploy Naval Service elements on overseas peacekeeping operations, which would simply serve to divert effort from the important issue of improving performance and vessel utilisation. It should also be noted that here is no commitment of Naval Service or Air Corps resources in Ireland's declaration under the EU Helsinki Headline Goal or the United Nations Stand-by Arrangements System – UNSAS.