Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004
72 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Defence the overseas missions it is envisaged that the Defence Forces will contribute to for the remainder of 2004 and for 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28772/04]
View answer73 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which he has received requests for participation in peacekeeping or peace enforcement under the aegis of the UN or EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29131/04]
View answer74 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces that are available to the United Nations; if this number will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28763/04]
View answer616 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the proposed Irish troop deployment, new or replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29276/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 72 to 74, inclusive, and 616 together.
Ireland is currently contributing approximately 745 Defence Forces personnel to 21 different missions throughout the world. The main commitments are to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 435 personnel and to the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 213 personnel. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, and the European Union. Staff are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the OSCE, the UN, NATO and the EU.
Ireland's current major contribution to peacekeeping is in Liberia, where a contingent of the Permanent Defence Forces has been serving since December 2003 with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL. Ireland, together with an infantry company group from Sweden, provides the quick reaction force to the UNMIL force commander. Ireland was specifically requested by the UN to participate in a substantive manner in this mission, which is a tribute to the high regard in which the UN holds the Irish Defence Forces. It is intended that Defence Forces involvement in UNMIL will probably conclude in 2005-06, once the Liberian elections planned for mid-2005 are completed.
In KFOR, the Defence Forces are serving as part of a Finnish battalion with a Swedish-led multinational brigade. A reorganisation and downsizing of the NATO-led forces in KFOR, including the Irish contingent, was planned and had partly commenced when civil disturbances broke out in March this year in Kosovo. That downsizing has now been deferred to allow the situation to settle. Having regard to the fragility of the peace in Kosovo and subject to ongoing assessments of the situation on the ground, Ireland will continue to maintain a presence in KFOR for some time yet.
Next month, the EU is due to take-over the current NATO-led UN authorised operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as SFOR. Ireland currently has 12 personnel deployed at SFOR Headquarters. On 9 November 2004, the Government decided, subject to final approval by the UN Security Council of an appropriate resolution authorising the establishment of EUFOR and the approval of the Dáil, to despatch a contingent of the Permanent Defence Forces for service with EUFOR, the EU-led mission-operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, code named Operation Althea, to be established under the authority of the UN, as the legal successor to SFOR.
Subject to these conditions, planning for participation by the Defence Forces in EUFOR, which is due to commence operations on 2 December 2004, is currently ongoing. Members of the Permanent Defence Forces currently serving in SFOR headquarters will transfer to EUFOR upon the take-over of the mission by the EU. It is also proposed to deploy an additional 42 personnel to EUFOR as part of a Finnish-led multinational task force, bringing Ireland's total deployment in EUFOR to 54. An advance party of 11 personnel has recently been deployed to the mission to put in place the requisite arrangements for the later deployment of the contingent.
Once this planned deployment is completed, the total number of Defence Forces personnel then serving overseas will be 776, which is within Ireland's maximum sustainable commitment of 850 personnel under the United Nations stand-by arrangements system, UNSAS. At 850, the UNSAS commitment represents 10% of the total Army strength and this is the figure set in the White Paper on Defence. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations. It should be appreciated that at any one time one group of personnel will have just returned from service, one will be on overseas duty and a further group will be in training. There are no plans at this time to increase the level of our commitment to UNSAS.
Ireland receives requests from time to time in relation to participation in various missions and these are considered on a case by case basis. However, we are currently fairly close to the limit of our sustainable commitments. It is appropriate that we keep some level of resources in reserve, should we need to reinforce existing missions or to take on additional missions at short notice. Looking to 2005, no other deployments are planned or envisaged at this time.
