Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 2

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Personnel.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

43 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Defence the situation regarding Defence Forces personnel serving with the UNPREDEP, UNMOP, SFOR, ECMM and OSCE missions in the Balkan region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9419/99]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

A total of 82 personnel is serving in the Balkan region with the following missions:– United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka, UNMOP, 1 and Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFOR, 50

The UN mandate for the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force, UNPREDEP, was not renewed with effect from 28 February 1999. The two Irish personnel serving with that force were seconded, at the request of the OSCE, to its mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

European Community Monitor Mission to the former Yugoslavia, ECMM, 12.

Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

(i)Military Observers (7 in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2 in Albania)	9
(ii)Staff Appointments, Croatia	5
(iii)Kosovo Verification Mission(KVM)(evacuated to Macedonia on 20March 1999)	5
Total	82

All personnel serving with these missions are confirmed to be safe. Daily contact is maintained by Defence Forces Headquarters in relation to the deployed personnel. I consider the safety of Defence Forces personnel serving in the region to be a matter of paramount importance. I have dealt in greater detail with the question of the personnel deployed to the Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM) in my reply to Priority Question No. 1 in the House today.