As of 8 September 2014, Ireland is contributing approximately 422 Defence Forces personnel to 14 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas including the lead organisation for each mission are listed in the following tabular statement.
The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 197 personnel, and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 135 Defence Forces personnel.
Other missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) with eight (8) personnel; the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina with seven (7) personnel; the NATO-led international security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with twelve (12) personnel; the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan with seven (7) personnel, and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in South Sudan with two (2) personnel. Ireland also contributes 26 observers and staff to various United Nations and OSCE missions, 14 personnel to the Nordic Battle group headquarters in Sweden and 15 other personnel to staff appointments at UN, EU and OSCE headquarters.
Defence Forces participation in all overseas missions is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Ongoing threat assessments are carried out in mission areas and we continually review both personal equipment and force assets, to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are appropriately equipped to fulfil their roles. A decision to withdraw Irish personnel from a mission would be taken by the Government in consultation with the lead organisation for the mission. The procedures for the withdrawal of personnel would be a military operation, the responsibility of which would lie with the relevant Force Commander of the mission in question.
The current contribution of some 422 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.
AS OF 01 July 2014
|
NUMBER
|
|
|
|
1.
|
UN MISSIONS
|
|
|
|
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ
|
9
|
|
|
UNIFIL 45th Infantry Group
|
184
|
|
|
UNIFIL Sector West HQ
|
4
|
|
|
UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel, Syria & Lebanon
|
13
|
|
|
MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)
|
3
|
|
|
MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
|
4
|
|
|
UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast)
|
2
|
|
|
UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) Golan Heights Syria
|
135
|
|
|
UNMAS (United Nations Mine Action Service ) South Sudan
|
2
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
356
|
|
|
UN MANDATED MISSIONS
|
|
|
|
EUFOR (EU led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina)
|
7
|
|
|
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
|
390
|
|
2.
|
ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)
|
|
|
|
OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina
|
2
|
|
|
Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group Vienna
|
1
|
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING OSCE
|
3
|
|
3.
|
EU MILITARY STAFF
|
|
|
|
Brussels
|
5
|
|
4.
|
NORDIC BATTLE GROUP 2015
|
|
|
|
FHQ Sweden
|
14
|
|
5.
|
MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF
|
|
|
|
Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York
|
1
|
|
|
Military Adviser Irish delegation to OSCE, Vienna
|
1
|
|
|
Military Representative to EU (Brussels)
|
4
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS
|
422
|
