Vol. 424 No. 5
14 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Defence if he has considered the suggestions, made by RACO in the September issue of its newsletter, Signal, that an expanded role for Irish troops in UN peacekeeping operations could assist in alleviating the unemployment problem through increased recruitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Government decisions on the provision of Irish troops for United Nations peacekeeping operations are made in response to requests from the United Nations.
The question of general recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force is kept under review in the light of operational requirements.
The annual nett extra cost of our current level of participation in United Nation's peacekeeping missions amounts to approximately £3.6 million. Normal pay and allowances for the 762 personnel involved amounts to a further £13.3 million. Any increase in the number of personnel serving overseas would result in additional costs to the Exchequer.
The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers have produced a proposal which they indicate would lead to job creation at a low cost to the Government. While obviously there would be some cost, given that service with United Nations forces results in payment from the United Nations to the State of the costs involved would the Government accept that recruitment to the Defence Forces would be an ideal way of taking significant numbers of people who want to join the Army off the unemployment register?
I think I saw the newspaper account of the suggestions mentioned by the Deputy but, as far as the economics of the matter are concerned, that account was somewhat simplistic. I think I have already told the House that the United Nations owe us £11 million in respect of services rendered overseas. There is no recruitment into the Permanent Defence Forces as of now but when it is deemed to be appropriate to meet the needs of the Permanent Defence Force the Government will be recruiting.
May I ask the Minister what progress, if any, has been made in recouping the £11 million owed to us by the United Nations? Second, may I ask him if there are any applications on hand from the United Nations to provide members of the Defence Forces for UNIFIL duties that we are unable to meet due to the restrictions on recruitment?
As the Deputy mentioned, UNIFIL duties are confined specifically to the Lebanon——
My apologies, with the United Nations.
As the Deputy and the House are aware, we have a full battallion in the Lebanon.
With some reduction in numbers.
Members of the Defence Forces are also serving in Cyprus. At most of the other places we have observer missions which are the most costly, given that we have to meet the full cost of such missions. Let me say in response to the first part of the Deputy's supplementary question, which was related to the repayment of the cost involved from the United Nations, that the very first letter that I wrote from the Department of Defence was addressed to the United Nations asking them to get a move on and to meet their commitments. We have received some moneys in 1992 but the outstanding debt is £11 million.
Can the Minister tell us how long this debt is outstanding and if there is a need for him to visit some members of the United Nations to have the payments speeded up? Finally, are there any applications on hand for troops that we could meet if there were more members in the Defence Forces?
We are deviating from the subject matter of this question in a substantial way.
It is relevant. The Minister would like to answer the question.
The Minister is quite free to do so.
I will obey the Chair.
Please, do not.
The debts go back some time. While I cannot give the Deputy a specific date they go back to the time — it was a question of power politics — when what was then the USSR and the United States fell back on their payments to the United Nations. Second, the Government always consider whatever applications are received from the United Nations for peacekeeping forces or observers wherever they are required.
Would the Minister agree that many young men and women now consider the Defence Forces as a rewarding career? Would he further agree, taking the huge cost of creating industrial employment into account, that this is one area the joint committee should look at so that employment can be created in the Defence Forces? There is now a huge demand for places within the Defence Forces, as I am sure the Minister is aware. This is one area that we should look at in an effort to get to grips with the unemployment problem.
There is quite a lot of repetition involved.
Let me say in response to the first part of the Deputy's supplementary question that hundreds of young people now regard the Defence Forces as a desirable career. Second, the conditions within the Defence Forces are so favourable that very few people are leaving the Defence Forces. Indeed, the percentage of those leaving compared with the numbers a few years ago is very low. I have already answered the final part of the Deputy's supplementary question. Whenever an application is received from the United Nations for observers or peacekeeping forces the Government consider it, for the most part favourably.
First, I should say that I am surprised that the Minister has said that he only has knowledge of the representative association's proposals from the newspapers, given that the newspaper report was based on the official newsletter of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, Signal.
That is what I meant by newspaper.
It is the official newsletter of the association. If the Minister read that newsletter, as I am sure he did, he will be aware that they point out——
The Deputy will appreciate that quotations at Question Time are not in order.
I do not intend to quote from it, a Cheann Comhairle, but rather to summarise what they state in it. It is a fact that the United Nations' funding problems are gradually being overcome as a result of the agreement entered into with the United States to pay their arrears over a five year period. The new Russian Federation have also agreed to accept responsibility for the debts of the USSR to the United Nations. May I ask the Minister therefore if he would at least look at the proposals which have been put forward by the representative association and accept that not only would this be a way of reducing the numbers on our unemployed list but a way of improving and expanding our valuable role in international peackeeping?
I should say that when I used to go to fairs as a young man there was a phrase "Show me the colour of your money". I will believe both the United States and the former USSR when they pay their debts. The Permanent Defence Force provide a satisfactory career for young people. I am glad that many applications have been received for membership of the Defence Forces. The Government will make their own decisions in due course as to whether recruitment should start.
May I ask the Minister one question?
I was hoping to move on to the Deputy's own question.
While I look forward to the reply to that question I would like to ask the Minister one question arising out of his replies. Would he accept that the real reason members of the Defence Forces are not leaving is not the magnificent conditions of service but rather that we have the highest level of unemployment in the History of the State and there are no jobs available for any of those who would like to leave?
I would like to think that members of the Defence Forces find it a rewarding job, a job which the State appreciates and shows its appreciation of by way of proper pay and conditions.
