Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 November 2014
101. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence to set out the extent to which any further cause for overseas deployment of Irish peacekeeping missions has been received or is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43730/14]
View answer102. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence to detail the number and location of various deployments of the Defence Forces at present; whether these are under EU UN or joint management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43731/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.
As of 01 November 2014, Ireland is contributing approximately 418 Defence Forces personnel to 11 missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas 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 191 personnel, and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 138 Defence Forces personnel. Small numbers of Defence Forces personnel are also deployed to missions in Mali, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Ireland also contributes observers to various United Nations and OSCE missions, to the Nordic Battle group headquarters in Sweden and other personnel to staff appointments at UN, EU and OSCE headquarters.
The most recent request for the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas was from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Emergency Civilian Assistance Team (ECAT) Initiative to assist in Ireland’s response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Three members of the Permanent Defence Force are being deployed to the Embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone. These personnel will bring key technical skills to enhance the embassy's ability to respond to the crisis.
Consideration is also being given to the possible deployment of a small number of Defence Forces personnel to be embedded as part of a UK Armed Forces Treatment Unit in Kerrytown, Sierra Leone. Discussions are ongoing in this regard between the Irish and UK authorities.
Apart from the above deployments, no other new deployments are planned or envisaged at this time.
The current contribution of some 418 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.
AS OF 01 November 2014
|
1. |
UN MISSIONS |
|
|
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) 45 th Infantry Group |
191 |
|
|
UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel, Syria & Lebanon |
12 |
|
|
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 |
138 |
|
|
TOTAL |
350 |
|
|
UN MANDATED MISSIONS |
||
|
EUFOR (EU led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
7 |
|
|
EUTM Mali (EU led Training Mission) |
10 |
|
|
KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) HQ |
12 |
|
|
ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan) |
7 |
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS |
386 |
|
|
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 |
418 |
