The statutory authority for the despatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force for service overseas as part of an International Force, is set out in Section 2 of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006. This provision is commonly referred to as the "triple lock" and comprises three requirements namely:
- the authorisation of the operation by the Security Council or General Assembly of the United Nations;
- a formal Government decision; and
- the approval of Dáil Éireann.
There is no requirement for Dáil approval for the despatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force for service overseas as part of an International Force where that Force is unarmed or where the size of the Permanent Defence Force contingent does not exceed twelve members.
Outside of such contingent deployments, members of the Permanent Defence Force may also be deployed outside the State on a range of other duties including training, humanitarian operations, fact finding missions, ceremonial duties etc. under the authority of the Government in accordance with the provisions of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006, which formalised arrangements in this regard. Section 3 of the 2006 Act sets out the range of such duties.
Details of personnel serving overseas in conflict zones since 2000, where there is no requirement for Dáil approval or for authorisation of an operation by the Security Council under the Defence Acts, are not readily available. However, the following tabular statement provides full details of all such personnel serving overseas between 2008 and 2012. Also included in the tabular statement are the estimated costs to the Defence Vote of participation by the Defence Forces in the missions in question. These costings do not include common costs payable by EU Member States, including Ireland, for EU led missions, in accordance with EU Council Decision of 17 June, 2002.
It was not possible in the time available to compile the full information including costs in relation to 2013. However, my Department is currently compiling this information and I will provide it directly to the Deputy once it comes to hand.
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MISSION
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DATES MISSION ACTIVE
(DURING 2008 TO 2012)
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NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING IN MISSION DURING PERIOD FROM 2008 TO 2012
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COSTINGS FROM
2008 TO 2012
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UNITED NATIONS MISSIONS
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-
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-
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-
|
|
UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Syria, Israel, Lebanon
|
2008 to 2012
|
12
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€1,644,500
|
|
MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)
|
2008 to 2012
|
3
|
€385,000
|
|
MONUC/MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
|
2008 to 2012
|
3
|
€407,500
|
|
UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast)
|
2008 to 2012
|
2
|
€316,250
|
|
UNSMIS (United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria)
|
May 2012 to Aug 2012
|
6 reducing to 3 in July 2012
|
€44,650
|
|
EU MISSIONS
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
EUTM Somalia
|
2010 to 2012
|
Average of 5 up to 2011.In 2012 increased to 7 and later to 10
|
€653,200
|
|
EUNAVFOR (Operation Atlanta)
|
June to December 2009
|
2
|
€54,200
|
|
OSCE Missions
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Bosnia
|
2008 to 2012
|
2
|
€239,900
|
|
NATO Led Missions
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan)
|
2008 to 2012
|
7
|
€1,608,000
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