Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004
117 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the number and locations to which Irish troops are currently serving overseas on foot of EU, UN or other mandates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10291/04]
View answerCurrently, a total of 796 Defence Forces personnel are serving overseas, full details of which are listed in the following statement.
The provisions in relation to the dispatch of a contingent of the Defence Forces for overseas service are laid down in the Defence Acts, which require that the mission must be authorised by the United Nations, approved by Government and, where the contingent is armed and exceeds 12 in number, approved by way of a resolution of Dáil Éireann.
|
Number |
|
|
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) |
4 |
|
(iv)MINURSO(United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) |
4 |
|
(v)UNMIK (United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) |
3 |
|
(vi)UNMISET (United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor) |
1 |
|
(vii)MONUC (United Nations Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
3 |
|
(viii)MINUCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) |
2 |
|
(ix)UNMIL (United Nations Mission in Liberia) |
435 |
|
Total |
473 |
|
UN Mandated Missions |
|
|
(x)SFOR (Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina SFOR HQ Sarajevo) |
12 |
|
(xi)KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) |
261 |
|
(xii)ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan) |
7 |
|
Total number of personnel serving with UN missions |
753 |
|
2. EU Mission |
|
|
European Union Monitor Mission (EUMM) to the former Yugoslavia |
9 |
|
3. Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) |
|
|
(i) OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1 |
|
(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 |
4 |
|
(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) |
6 |
|
6. Liaison Office of Ireland, PfP (Brussels) |
4 |
|
7. Permanent Representative to EU (Brussels) |
6 |
|
8. Military Representatives-Advisers |
|
|
(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-Supreme Headquarters AlliedPowers Europe (SHAPE), Mons, Belgium |
1 |
|
9. Appointments — UN HQ (New York) |
|
|
Officers seconded to DPKO (Department of Peace Keeping Operations) |
2 |
|
Total Number of Defence Forces Personnel Serving Overseas |
796 |
118 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence if a comparative cost analysis has been carried out between EU Rapid Reaction Force deployments and UNSAS deployments to take account of the fact that contributing states must absorb RRF deployment costs whereas UNSAS deployments are partially reimbursed to contribution states; if so, if he will report on the results; if not, if such a study will be carried out; when it will be completed; and if the results will be published. [10316/04]
View answerIreland participates in a range of peace support missions. Participation in such missions is subject to authorisation by the United Nations, Government decision and approval of Dáil Éireann, in accordance with the statutory provisions laid down in the Defence Acts.
In authorising a mission, the UN can decide either to establish a UN force for the purposes of enforcing the provisions of a Security Council resolution or to authorise a regional organisation or a framework nation to establish such a force for this purpose. So, for example, in the case of Liberia, the UN has authorised the establishment of a UN Force, whereas in the case of the mission in Kosovo, the force, which is authorised by the UN, is led by NATO.
Where the mission is operating under the traditional UN "blue beret" arrangements, contributing countries are entitled to some reimbursement of costs in respect of personnel and equipment. Where the force is operating under regional arrangements, such as the EU or NATO, each participant carries its own costs and shares the common operating costs.
The main difference in costs which arises in relation to a non-UN led force is the absence of reimbursement. This will vary depending on the mission. In the case of the mission in Liberia the total estimated additional cost arising from participation is €12.1 million per annum of which €10.8 million per annum will be reimbursed by the UN. In the case of Operation Artemis, the EU led mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ireland's contribution to the common costs amounted to some €60,000.
No formal report has been completed into the difference between the two types of operations in terms of costs. Missions are considered on a case-by-case basis and cost is but one of a number of considerations which informs the decision to participate in a mission. In considering participation, the Government takes into account Ireland's strategic interests, the nature of the mission and the risks involved, the mission's mandate and its potential to ensure peace and security, foreign policy considerations and the mission costs.
