Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 June 2004
68 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Defence the exercises or programmes that Ireland has been or will be participating in under Partnership for Peace in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17907/04]
View answer119 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the new developments in the PfP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18115/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 119 together.
Ireland's participation in PfP to date is set out in our four individual partnership programmes, IPPs, copies of which have been lodged in the Oireachtas Library. Activities consist of training courses, seminars, workshops, conferences, staff exercises and table top exercises. Ireland's fourth IPP, covering the period 2004 to 2005, has been completed in consultation with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, the Environment and Local Government, Justice Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children, and Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
As provided for in the presentation document for PfP, Ireland also participates in the PfP planning and review process known as PARP. In common with other EU neutrals, Ireland is using the PARP process in connection with planning for the Petersberg Tasks. The scope of our involvement in PARP is focused on enhancing interoperability and familiarity with operating procedures in a multinational environment.
Participation in Partnership for Peace activities is entirely voluntary and is based on the principle of self-differentiation, that is, a state selects for itself the nature and scope of its participation.
Does the Minister agree PfP is a crucial element in the development of NATO? Does he accept the concept of interoperability is part and parcel of increasing the effectiveness of NATO and that PfP was a lifeline for the organisation because it had become stagnant? Does he further accept Ireland ought not to participate in PfP because, as the Taoiseach emphasised at the time, it compromises our neutrality?
I disagree fundamentally with the Deputy, not for the first time. PfP helps the Defence Forces to keep very much abreast of developments in training and in the humanitarian aspects of peacekeeping missions. I do not know if it is properly understood and I do not wish to pretend that I know more about this than anybody else.
Peacekeeping missions have been undertaken in Eritrea, Liberia, Kosovo and East Timor, and our troops have operated side by side with those from 30 other countries who have received different training and come from different cultural backgrounds. Understanding the contingents immediately beside the Irish contingent is fundamental to their safety and security and to the operation itself. Training and co-operation is needed to get to the point where each contingent understands how the other operates. The safety of our troops is important in the first instance followed by the peacekeeping and humanitarian tasks.
Troops participating in these missions encounter distress, suffering, conflict, murder and genocide. I have given examples previously. The Deputy and I will sit down some day and agree on this. He will be so happy to realise there is no basis for the worries he has expressed trenchantly over the years.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
