Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2004
89 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the position on Defence Force Reserve members acting on the tours of duty of United Nations peace keeping forces as determined by the Department and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13018/04]
View answerOn 15 January, 2003 I approved, in principle, the report of the Reserve Defence Forces Review Implementation Board for the implementation of the recommendations of the special steering group on the reserve. As indicated in the White Paper on Defence, an important change recommended by the study of the reserve is that members of the FCA should be considered for participation in overseas peace support missions subject to suitable qualifications, personal availability and appropriate advance training. Service by reservists on overseas peace support missions in other countries is quite common.
General criteria governing selection for overseas service come within the scope of representation and any matters relating to overseas service by members of the reserve which come within the scope of representation will be raised with the representative associations at the appropriate forum. The question of the security of civilian employment for the members of the reserve who may wish to serve overseas will be considered as part of the ongoing implementation process.
