Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
3. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason family-friendly tours are not guaranteed at present for Defence Forces personnel due to be stationed overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8686/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the United Nations Secretary General, as part of the UN’s response to the global Covid pandemic, directed on 5 April last, the suspension of all rotations and leave for military personnel serving in UN missions until 30 June, effective immediately.
The UN directed that only in certain very limited and extenuating circumstances would any exemption be allowed and has recently agreed to an exemption of the suspension for Ireland which will allow Ireland to rotate its full contingent to UNIFIL during the UN moratorium. The first rotation has now been confirmed by the UN for 21 June and the second for 29 June.
The confirmed dates have been communicated by the military authorities to Defence Forces personnel coming home and those going out to Lebanon to commence their deployment. As the dates for the rotations have now been confirmed, I hope that this will now ease the impact of the delayed rotations on families.
At a general level, unlike some other national armed forces, the Defence Forces have no restrictions with regard to the assignment of men or women to the full range of operational and administrative duties. Both men and women, therefore, play a full and meaningful role in all aspects of Defence Forces operations at home and overseas on peacekeeping missions.
In normal circumstances and prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of family friendly overseas appointments for commissioned and enlisted personnel were introduced, where the normal 6-month tour of duty could be ‘shared’ with another member of the Defence Forces resulting in a 3-month deployment.
The impact of Covid 19 on future rotations planned for UNIFIL, has being examined by my Department and the Defence Forces. While every effort will be made to ensure that personnel in such family-friendly appointments will rotate home following their tour of duty, this cannot be guaranteed. Depending on the circumstances presented at the time, a possibility exists that such personnel may be required to serve a full tour of duty with the remainder of their unit.
I am advised by the Military Authorities that personnel, due to deploy in such appointments with the 116 Inf Bn, were notified of this condition during pre-deployment training, and were afforded the opportunity to withdraw from the tour.
I will be keeping the matter under review in light of the evolving administrative and operational challenges presented by the pandemic.
