Seán Power
Ceist:35 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Defence the reason there has been a difficulty in providing the necessary numbers for overseas duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19901/96]
Written Answers. - Overseas Missions.
Robert Molloy
Ceist:37 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself that, in current circumstances, there are sufficient troops available to meet current UN commitments to man a rapid response force and to patrol a border of 250 miles, together with normal commitments and duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19914/96]
Michael McDowell
Ceist:40 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself that, in current circumstances, there are sufficient troops available to meet current UN commitments to man a rapid response force and to patrol a border of 250 miles, with normal commitments and duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19913/96]
Máirín Quill
Ceist:41 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Defence his views on whether the pending use of second line reserve forces, FCA, on UN duties is an indictment of the recruitment policies of recent years which denuded the Defence Forces of a strong first line reserve; if he will make available the figures for first line reserve personnel as currently pertaining; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19906/96]
Peadar Clohessy
Ceist:43 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Defence the way in which a force of 800 troops is to be recruited and trained for participation in a rapid response force to operate under the auspices of the United Nations in the European area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19920/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 37, 40, 41 and 43 together.
The service of members of the Permanent Defence Force with UN and other overseas missions is entirely on a voluntary basis. Our ongoing commitments to UNIFIL and to other missions are met regularly through this voluntary system.
With regard to UN commitments generally the position is that recent experience in the UN highlighted the need to reduce the time which it takes to deploy peacekeeping missions. In order to enhance the UN's capacity to plan for and respond more quickly to emergency situations the Secretary-General asked member states to indicate specifically the forces which they would be prepared to designate for use in peacekeeping operations under the United Nations Standby Arrangements System.
In this regard, the Government recently agreed to Permanent Defence Force participation in UNSAS up to a limit of 850 personnel. This participation could be fulfilled by the reassignment to UNSAS, at a level determined by Ireland, of personnel currently serving with UNIFIL or other overseas missions such as the European Community Monitor Mission (ECMM) in the former Yugoslavia. Troops pledged under UNSAS could be deployed anywhere in the world under UN Security Council resolution and would not necessarily be confined to the European area.
There is no immediate proposal to call up members of an Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil for UN service.
The current strength of the First Line Reserve is 541 all ranks.
I am satisfied that the Permanent Defence Force is capable of meeting all operational requirements at home and overseas and that there is no need for recruitment additional to that which is taking place at present.