Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 19 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 5

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Training.

John Gormley

Ceist:

141 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces have ever been involved in PfP joint manoeuvres or exercises on the ground with other PfP military units; if not, the reason therefor; if so, when and the location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4785/03]

Dan Boyle

Ceist:

149 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces can participate in joint training or exercises with foreign armed forces without changes being made to the Defence Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4784/03]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Question Nos. 141 and 149 together.

I refer the Deputies to my reply to the House in response to Parliamentary Question No. 39 on 12 December 2002.

The Defence Forces have not been involved in PfP joint manoeuvres or military field exercises on the ground with other PfP nations' military units. Participation in Partnership for Peace, PfP, activities is entirely voluntary and is based on the principle of self-differentiation, that is, a State selects for itself the nature and scope of its participation.

In the context of PfP, Ireland has participated in a number of crisis management exercises and technical workshops. Our participation has been in the planning phases, at a technical level, at observer level and at staff level appointments in multinational headquarters, the main focus being to enhance inter-operability and familiarity with operating procedures in a multinational environment.

Similarly, in the context of the EU and ESDP, the ongoing EU exercise programme covers the period 2001-06 and entails a sequence of exercises designed to ensure appropriate readiness and efficient functioning in a crisis management situation. The exercises are designed to ensure that EU structures, procedures, including consultation with the UN, and arrangements are properly tested and validated in order to ensure appropriate readiness and efficient functioning in a Petersberg Task type crises. In effect the exercises test the political-diplomatic and military responses to an emerging crisis. They should not be confused with military exercises which require deployment of troops. The EU does not intend to engage in military field exercises as part of the EU exercise programme.

Training, personnel and equipment programmes required for the reorganisation and development of the Defence Forces are provided for under the Government's White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, which took account of both the internal and external security environments. The question of participation in military field exercises has not arisen in the context of Ireland's participation in either ESDP or PfP.