Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015
344. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are involved; the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29878/15]
View answerAs of 06 July 2015, Ireland is contributing 497 Defence Forces personnel to 13 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 most recent deployment overseas was the despatch of the Irish naval vessel, L.É. Eithne, to assist the Italian authorities in humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. A crew of sixty-seven (67) personnel of the Permanent Defence Force, augmented by two (2) medics of the Permanent Defence Force, was deployed to the Operation. The LÉ Eithne, which has completed its deployment, and is en route back to Ireland, was involved in 22 rescue operations resulting in the rescue of 3,377 migrants. L.É. Niamh has deployed to the Mediterranean to continue Ireland’s contribution to the search and rescue mission. L.É. Niamh will be deployed on the high seas in international waters between Sicily and Libya, which is where most migrant activity and search and rescue incidents have occurred.
The current contribution of some 497 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 JUNE 2015
|
- |
Overseas Missions |
No. |
|
1. |
UN MISSIONS |
|
|
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ |
9 |
|
|
UNIFIL 49th Infantry Group |
186 |
|
|
UNIFIL Sector West HQ |
4 |
|
|
UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel and Syria |
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) HQ, Golan Heights Syria |
8 |
|
|
UNDOF 48 th Infantry Group |
130 |
|
|
TOTAL |
358 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
RSM (Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan) |
7 |
|
|
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS |
394 |
|
|
2. |
OTHER DEPLOYMENTS |
|
|
UK EBOLA TREATMENT CENTRE (Sierra Leone) |
2 |
|
|
Naval Service Humanitarian Mission in Mediterranean (L.E. Eithne) |
69 |
|
|
TOTAL NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL OTHER DEPLOYMENTS |
71 |
|
|
3. |
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 |
|
|
4. |
EU MILITARY STAFF |
|
|
Brussels |
5 |
|
|
5. |
NORDIC BATTLE GROUP 2015 |
|
|
FHQ Sweden |
14 |
|
|
6. |
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 |
497 |
