Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 May 2014
339. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide in tabular form the number of missions the UN, EU and any other organisations have asked the Defence Forces to contribute personnel to in the past ten years; the nature or tasks of the units requested to contribute; and where it was decided not to contribute, the relevant rationale. [20250/14]
View answerIreland receives requests, from time to time, in relation to participation in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. When considering any particular request, the existence of realistic objectives and a clear mandate, which has the potential to contribute to a political solution, consideration of how the mission relates to the priorities of Irish foreign policy and the degree of risk involved are amongst the factors considered. Other factors taken into account are the level of existing commitments to peacekeeping operations and security requirements at home. Details of the requests received by Ireland from the United Nations and European Union since 2004 to contribute Defence Forces personnel to missions and the outcome of these requests are contained in the following schedule.
REQUESTS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL TO UN/EU MISSIONS (2004-2013)
|
Mission |
Nature of Request |
Outcome |
|
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (2013) |
Contribution of (a) Staff Officers to UNDOF headquarters and (b) Mechanised Infantry Company for the task of Force Mobile Reserve with C-IED capability |
Following Government and Dáil approval, as appropriate, HQ Staff and a Force Reserve Company have been deployed to UNDOF since June and September 2013, respectively. |
|
United Nations Mine Action Service (Sudan)(UNMAS)(2013) |
Specialist Training Team on Conventional Munitions Disposal. |
Training team deployed to the Mission in August 2010 following Government Approval. |
|
United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) (2012) |
Military Observers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Experts. |
Deployed in May 2012 and withdrawn in August 2012 when the mission closed. |
|
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2010) |
Mechanised Infantry Battalion |
Following Dáil Éireann approval, a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force has been deployed to UNIFIL since June 2011. |
|
European Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia) (2010) |
Training Team and Mission Staff at mission headquarters. |
Following Government approval, Defence Forces personnel were deployed to the mission between April 2010 and April 2014. |
|
European Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) (2010) |
Training Team to train Malian Armed Forces. |
A training team was deployed to the Mission following Government approval in April 2010. |
|
United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) (2009) |
MINURCAT replaced EUFOR Tchad/RCA in 2009 with which an Irish Battalion and HQ staff had been serving. UN requested contributors to EUFOR mission to remain on in service with the new UN mission. |
Ireland continued to provide HQ Staff and a Mechanised Infantry Battalion of approximately 400 personnel to the MINURCAT mission between March 2009 and June 2010. |
|
European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA (2009) |
Naval service personnel (2) for operational HQ of Operation ATALANTA. |
Two Naval Service officers were deployed to the Operational HQ in Northwood (UK) during period June to December 2009. |
|
The United Nations – African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) (2007) |
In common with all other UN members, Ireland received a general request for a range of capabilities for the mission. |
The Defence Forces did not have the required assets (heavy lift equipment etc). Ireland offered to nominate up to eight (8) personnel to staff appointments at the Force HQ. However, the offer was not taken up by the UN. |
|
EUFOR Tchad/RCA (2007) |
Request for Operations Commander and HQ Support Staff, Mechanised Infantry Battalion of 360 personnel. |
Ireland provided a total of 1,677 personnel to the mission between October 2007 and March 2009 including the Operations Commander. |
|
EUFOR RD Congo (2006) |
Staff Officers for HQ |
Seven (7) Irish personnel were deployed to mission HQ between June 2006 and January 2007. |
|
United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) (2005) |
Specialist Ordnance and Transport Logistics personnel. |
A Defence Forces team of four (4) personnel were deployed to the UNJLC between January and May 2005. |
|
European Union ACEH Monitoring Mission (AMM) in Indonesia (2005) |
Military Observers and EOD Experts. |
Three (3) Defence Forces personnel were deployed during September 2005 and December 2006) |
|
EU Support to African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) (2004) |
Request for support staff for EU mission. |
One (1) Military Observer and one (1) Logistics Planner were deployed to the mission between July 2004 and December 2007. |
UN REQUESTS FOR DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL WHERE NOMINATIONS WERE NOT POSSIBLE OR ASSETS UNAVAILABLE
|
Mission |
Nature of Request |
|
United Nations Missions in Sudan (UNMIS) Sudan (2006) |
Nominations for Officer appointments at mission HQ |
|
United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) (2013) |
Nominations for Judicial Affairs Experts |
|
United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) (2013) |
Nomination for post of Senior Military Adviser |
|
United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) (2011) |
Engineer Company |
|
United Nations Office of the African Union (UNOAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2010) |
Nominations for Planning Officer appointments |
|
United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) (2009) |
Nomination for post of Chief Military Adviser UNMIN |
|
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) (2009) |
Nominations for Military Liaison Officers and a Military Adviser |
|
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) (2008) |
Nomination for post of Deputy Chief Military Observer for UNOMIG |
|
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) (2008) |
Nomination for post of Chief Military Observer for UNMOGIP |
