Peacekeeping Operations.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004

Wednesday, 24 November 2004

Questions (78)

Michael Ring

Question:

54 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the situation with regard to the development of an EU force for rapid deployment in line with requests from the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30035/04]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The development of the battlegroups-rapid response elements concept has been an important part of the EU's work in developing capabilities for military peacekeeping operations over the past year.

Essentially, the idea is that the Union will have at its disposal a rapidly deployable, robust force that can be deployed in crisis areas for a short period. These units could be deployed at the request of the UN to act as a bridging force, stabilising a crisis situation while the UN establishes a larger, longer-term mission to take over from the EU. They could, for instance, be used to respond to situations similar to the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year when EU troops helped to stabilise the situation there following a request by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The rapid deployment of an EU mission in that country, to which Ireland contributed headquarters personnel, helped save lives and provided space for a UN force to be prepared. Kofi Annan, in his appearance before the National Forum on Europe during his recent visit to Ireland, welcomed the development of EU rapid response capabilities. He noted in particular the important role that regional organisations such as the EU can play in supporting the UN in crisis management and peacekeeping operations.

From an operational perspective, the General Affairs and External Relations Council on Monday adopted a declaration which foresees that the EU will have battlegroups-rapid response elements at its disposal from 2005. Initially, there will be one battlegroup on stand-by from that date, ready to deploy within ten days of a Council decision to launch an operation. From 2007, it is envisaged that two battlegroups will be on stand-by at any one time. This will contribute significantly to the EU's ability to respond speedily to rapid-onset crises, particularly in Africa.

As the Minister for Defence has already outlined to the House, the Government has examined the issue of participation in battlegroups-rapid response elements. We have agreed to consult further with partners on the possibility of Ireland's participation in rapid response elements. The Government will make a final decision based on these consultations and on a detailed analysis of the implications involved.