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Overseas Missions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2013

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Questions (850)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

850. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are currently involved; the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46321/13]

View answer

Written answers

As of 01 November 2013, Ireland is contributing approximately 560 Defence Forces personnel to 14 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement attached. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 356 personnel, including the Deputy Force Commander. The joint Irish/Finnish Battalion is tasked primarily with patrolling, reconnaissance and occupying static posts while operating in close coordination and cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces in Sector West of UNIFIL’s area of operations.

Other missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Somalia with eight (8) personnel, including the Mission Commander; the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) with eight (8) personnel; the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina with seven (7) personnel who are based at mission headquarters in Sarajevo; the NATO-led international security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with twelve (12) personnel based in the mission Headquarters; and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan with seven (7) personnel who are based in the mission Headquarters in Kabul. Ireland also contributes 24 observers and staff to various United Nations and OSCE missions and 16 other personnel to staff appointments at UN, EU and OSCE headquarters.

The most recent deployment overseas was in response to a United Nations request and resulted in the deployment of the 43rd Infantry Group to United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights in Syria. This deployment was successfully completed on 28 September 2013. The 43rd Infantry Group is tasked primarily to serve as the Force Mobile Reserve within the UNDOF Area of Responsibility. A total of 118 Defence Forces personnel are currently serving with UNDOF, including four (4) personnel who were deployed to UNDOF earlier this year for service at the Mission Headquarters.

Also, at the request of the United Nations and following Government approval, four (4) members of the Permanent Defence Force deployed for service with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in South Sudan in August 2013. Their role is to provide a specialist training team on Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD), mine and specialist search awareness to South Sudan Police personnel.

The current contribution of some 560 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.

MEMBERS OF THE PERMANENT DEFENCE FORCE SERVING OVERSEAS AS OF 01 NOVEMER 2013

1. UN MISSIONS

Personnel

Amount

UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ

16

UNIFIL 108th Infantry Battalion

332

UNIFIL Sector West HQ

8

UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation ) Israel & Syria

13

MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)

3

MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo)

3

UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast)

2

UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) Golan Heights Syria

118

UNMAS (United Nations Mine Action Service ) South Sudan

4

TOTAL

499

UN MANDATED MISSIONS

Personnel

Amount

EUFOR (EU led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina)

7

EUTM Somalia (EU led Training Mission)

8

EUTM Mali (EU led Training Mission)

8

KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) HQ

12

ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan)

7

TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS

541

2. ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)

Personnel

Amount

OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina

2

OSCE Mission in Belgrade – Serbia

1

Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group Vienna

1

TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING OSCE

4

3. EU MILITARY STAFF

Personnel

Amount

Brussels

5

4. MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF

Personnel

Amount

Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York

1

Military Adviser Irish delegation to OSCE, Vienna

1

Military Representative to EU (Brussels)

3

Liaison Office of Ireland, NATO/PfP (Brussels)

2

EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium

1

Irish Liaison Officer to SHAPE & Military Co-Op Division, Mons, Belgium

1

European Defence Agency (EDA) Brussels

1

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS

560

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